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Page 16 Vol. 33 No. 7 FEBRUARY 12 - 18, 2026
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PTA celebrates Founders’ Day By KAYlA DECHTER kdechter@liherald.com
Courtesy Aiden Pearsall
The Lynbrook Council of PTAs honored 16l people at its 2026 Founders’ Day event, standing from left, Jessica Sanders, Alison Cordes, Maria Viviano, Nicole Mastrande, Nicole DiMichele, Julia Bachmann, Quintin Irizarry, Christine Castellano, Raul Pacheco, Michelle Stimac, Kimberly Neri, and James F. Wolf. Sitting from left Tessa Farr, Shana Conza, Rachel Tiran, and Pat Alonge.
The Lynbrook Council of PTAs held its 2026 Founders’ Day celebration on Feb. 2, honoring 25 PTA members and school social workers who have made a difference in students’ lives and the community. Each February since the 1950s, the PTA recognizes the legacy of its founders and the ongoing mission to support students, families and public education by honoring educators, staff, volunteers, and community leaders who support children. This year’s 25 honorees CoNTINueD oN PAge 10
Waverly Park students connect with a new musical, ‘Bounce’ By KAYlA DECHTER kdechter@liherald.com
Waverly Park Elementary School is taking a new approach in its choice of musical this year: relatability. Lauren Behan, the director of the school’s music department for the past five years, is organizing the production with the help of Beat by Beat Press, a New York-based company that produces musicals for elementary schools. The musical is called “Bounce,” and follows a genderneutral character named Reggie who has a hard time paying attention in school and navigating the world. The challenges
the energetic Re ggie faces include acting appropriately with their friends and focusing in class, and they discover that m ove m e n t — s p e c i f i c a l l y bouncing — helps them cope with the classroom environment. The theme of the play is that everyone is different and has their own way of moving through life, and it is intended to inspire students to find their own way. Throughout the story, Reggie, played by fifth-grader Sadie Ingber, meets classmates with a variety of personalities and challenges of their own who offer insight. “It’s a little bit of a comingof-age story,” Behan said, “in
the sense that we’re trying to find out what works for us, our place in the world, and where we function within our classroom.” The mission of Waverly Park’s Drama Club, she added, is to promote inclusivity and expression. “This show means a lot to me,” Behan said. “Anything that I can do in my position to get kids into the theater department, get them on stage and help them express themselves is something that we love to do here.” Behan credited her co-directors, Carly Tansky and Michael Berrios, for their support in putting the play together. Tan-
sky is a Kindergarten Center Red Class Teacher, and Berrios is a Waverly Park staff member and a Lynbrook High School play director. “We want the kids to really show who they are through the r e p e r t o i r e, ” B e h a n s a i d , “which is why it was important to find an age-appropriate show they could connect with.” With about 55 student per-
fo r m e r s d iv i d e d eve n ly b e t we e n fo u r t h a n d f i f t h grades, the musical encourages them to connect with its characters and scenarios in ways that reflect their own school experiences. There have been three to four rehearsals per week since October, reflecting the students’ commitment to the Drama CoNTINueD oN PAge 10