_________ oCeANsIDe/IsLAND PArk ________
O’Side grad heads to West Point
Showing love for Italian heritage
A new chapter for I.P. students
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VOL. 60 NO. 27
JULY 3 - 9, 2025
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O’Side Class of 2025 moves on By LAUREN MAGGIORE Intern
Eric Dunetz/Herald
The Oceanside class of 2025 bade farewell on June 23 after years of hard work.
Oceanside High School held its graduation ceremony on June 23, celebrating the Class of 2025 and their accomplishments, alongside proud parents and teachers. T h e c e r e m o n y, o n t h e Oceanside High School football field, marked a culmination of years of dedication for all students who gathered on a day filled with sunshine and fanfare. After the high school band played as the senior class COnTinued On page 20
Math maestro marks 23 years of perfect attendance By KEPHERD DANIEL kdaniel@liherald.com
When the bell rings each morning at Oceanside High School, one staff member is always there: math teacher Yves “J.P.” Jean-Pierre, of Valley Stream. In more than 23 years on the job, J.P. has never missed a single day — an achievement he views not as extraordinary, but simply part of doing his job. “Coming to school is what I’m here for,” J.P. said with a shrug. “Even when I don’t feel well, I find that moving around and doing what I love helps me recover faster.” Jean-Pier re’s attendance
streak began when he arrived in September 2002, and continues throughout the 2024-25 school year. During that time he’s guided thousands of students through algebra, calculus and other math classes, never once calling in sick. Born in the small town of Saint-Marc, Haiti, about 60 miles north of Port-au-Prince, JeanPierre was educated at the prestigious Institution Saint-Louis de Gonzague — one of Haiti’s most elite Catholic schools, which has been attended by many future Haitian presidents and national leaders. In 1985, he came to New York to study aerospace engineering at the University at Buffalo, and
he graduated in 1989. Inspired by a cousin who thrived as a math teacher, and by a desire to make a more direct impact, he earned his teaching certification, and never looked back. “When I saw summer break after my first engineering internship, I realized I wanted to do more than research,” he recalled. “Teaching felt right.” Jean-Pierre’s earliest teaching assignments in Manhattan and Brooklyn were marked by a drive to challenge students with complex problems. But after receiving candid feedback from a mentor teacher — that instruction should build confidence rather than erect obstacles — he embraced a new approach cen-
tered on student success. “He told me, ‘Teach for the students, not to stump them,’” Jean-Pierre recalled. “That advice changed everything. Kids are not empty vessels. You should not be throwing instructions on kids. You have to give them the freedom to learn.” He spent eight years at South Shore High School in Brooklyn, before moving to the Oceanside
school district. Today his classroom balances rigorous content with personalized support. On his first day at Oceanside, a student asked if she could call him “J.P.” The nickname stuck. “A student, I remember, her name was Magdalena, she said to me, ‘Are you French?’” he recounted. “‘Can I call you JP?’ I said, ‘OK.’ I said, ‘Yeah, that’s COnTinued On page 19