Wordmasters Grade 6 Blue Division First Challenge Meet Novemberdecember 017

Lido Elementary School

News

Proud Fifth Graders Promoted

Fifth-graders all around the district looked back with nostalgia and ahead with confidence as they attended promotion ceremonies marking their successful completion of elementary school. The ceremonies included fond recollections of shared experiences and lessons learned along the way, musical performances and slideshows. Recognition awards were given to students for their individual accomplishments, followed by the presentation of promotion certificates. Each school had its own theme: East School celebrated a "Bucket Full of Wishes," West School students were "Rocking on Toward The Future," Lindell's theme was "Looking Forward" and Lido School chose Dr. Seuss's "Oh, the Places You'll Go."

School Board President Dr. Dennis Ryan reminded students about the importance of being wrong. "Too often in school the emphasis is about being right. It's important to learn from your mistakes and admit when you are wrong. A little humility is good."

Superintendent of Schools David Weiss described school years as a journey full of obstacles to overcome. "It's a long trip full of hurdles, potholes and rivers to cross. Today is a day to look back and see how far you've come, take a deep breath and prepare for the next leg of your expedition. Use the summer well -- stay in shape, read and explore new things. And remember to stay safe. When you are riding your bikes and skateboards, always wear a helmet."

Character Education Celebration

One of the Long Beach City School District's key educational goals is to support social and emotional learning and development by creating a school culture where trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring and citizenship thrive. After using these six pillars of character as their guiding principles throughout the year, students took time to reflect on all they had learned during the district's annual Character Education Celebration.

Lindell School held a Habits of the Heart Pageant. Each grade chose a different pillar to highlight, creating posters and writing essays that highlighted the meaning of the trait. In keeping with the pageant theme, each grade also crowned one special teacher as a representative for one of the six pillars.

At West School's Character Rocks Concert, students gathered together to celebrate the six pillars with a karaoke-style sing-along. Representatives from each grade recited inspirational words that expressed their sentiments about good character. They concluded the celebration with a slide show chronicling the school's recent multicultural day, which was a celebration of diversity and the commonalities we share with other people around the globe.

The Lido School Chorus performed at a character education assembly, singing "I Make My Own Sunshine," "Reach," and "You Can't Stop the Beat." The songs reflected the school's philosophy that all children are valued. The entire student body embraced the music as a celebration of the school's character education mission.

At East School, students spoke about the lessons they had learned on what it means to be a "bucket filler," which is a metaphor for encouraging kind and considerate behavior. Each class appointed representatives to recite examples of what it means to be a bucket filler. They encouraged their fellow classmates to speak up when someone is being bullied, help and encourage others, be a great friend, be helpful, share and help those in need.

Long Beach WordMasters Place Fourth in Nation

Competing in the difficult Blue Division of the WordMasters Challenge, a team of Long Beach third graders placed fourth in the nation in the year-end cumulative standings among 520 school teams participating at this grade level and division. Third grade team members were Uma Arengo, Tyler Collinson, Francesca Macchia, Aadhi Murugaverl, Maia Perez, Jude Pizzone, Elias Richter, Violet Schnabel, Jasmine Soriano and Lucia Tomicick.

In addition, third graders Uma Arengo, Delphine Esformes, Giselle Fernandez, Francesca Macchia, Aadhi Murugaverl, Maia Perez, Jude Pizzone, Elias Richter, Mathias Roth and Lucia Tomicick tied for third place in the nation in the year's final meet.

Fourth graders Audrey Cozine, Lauren Crotty, Meilin Garfinkel, Arjun Gupta, Hayden Henry, Elizabeth Kelly, Jack Libasci, Alex Melconian, Evan Michaels and Erik Roll tied for sixth place in the nation in the year's final meet among 698 competing teams.

In addition, nine elementary students won highest honors for individual achievement in the year's final meet. Third grader Uma Arengo, Giselle Fernandez, Maia Perez and Jude Pizzone; fourth graders Hayden Henry and Evan Michaels and fifth graders Sabrina Eager and Hannah Zelinger all earned perfect scores in this meet, while nationwide only 113 third graders, 55 fourth graders and 131 fifth graders did so.

The students participated in the competition through the Long Beach Public Schools Learning Activities to Raise Creativity (LARC) program, under the direction of LARC teachers Beverlee Bertinetti and Caitlin Fuentes.

At the middle school level, sixth grader Blaise Derenze also received a perfect score in the year's final meet, a distinction earned by only 110 sixth graders in the nation. Derenze participated in the competition through the middle school's Activities Promoting Thinking program, under the direction of teacher Lorraine Radice.

The WordMasters Challenge is a national language arts competition that challenges students to think analytically and metaphorically to complete word analogies expressing various kinds of relationships.

Fifth-Graders Dissect Owl Pellets

When Long Beach School District Director of Science Kenneth Graham came to Lido School to deliver tubes of owl pellets, the fifth grade teachers knew that a pellet dissection lesson was in order. After viewing the Discovery Education video about owl pellets, the students knew what to expect. The packet that accompanied the video was perfect for the purpose of recording information in an organized manner.

"If you have ever dissected an owl pellet, then you know there is nothing organized about it," said fifth grade teacher Deborah Cupani. "An owl pellet is the regurgitated mass of the owl's last meal. Although the pellets are thoroughly sanitized, there are bones, fur and/or feathers hidden inside from which the scientist can determine which rodent or bird the owl ate."

The students had many different reactions to the process, from intrigue to disgust to curiosity. In the end, everyone walked away with knowledge of the food chain and bone anatomy. The biggest pellet contained four skulls, while a few had none. Many identified the owl's prey, but some came up empty.

"That is the experience of a scientist," added Ms. Cupani. "Not everything turns out as originally hypothesized."

Math and Science Fairs

Elementary schools in the Long Beach School District recently hosted events celebrating the wonders of math and science.

At the Lindell School Third Grade Math Fair, students introduced their parents to the magic of math using calculators, dice, Smart Boards and playing cards to demonstrate their ability to manipulate numbers. Meanwhile, fourth graders were busy creating research projects that enhanced their knowledge of the scientific method, including a question, hypothesis, list of materials, procedure, data and conclusion for each project.

The entire student body at Lido School participated in the MST Fair, showcasing their knowledge of math, science and technology with projects that explored topics as varied as ecosystems, magnets, the human body, galactic travel, food chains, buoyancy and more.

Students at East School received a visit from John Hinton, math professor at LIU CW Post and publisher of Math Matters, a national journal of math games for elementary and middle school teachers. Professor Hinton engaged students in activities such as "Order in the House," a game in which students were asked to roll dice, add the numbers, and use their reasoning skills to try to place the sums in order from least to greatest. Student were also intrigued by a guessing game called "Join the Club," in which they were invited into Professor Hinton's club when they were able to surmise the number pattern and guess the next number in a given sequence.

Special Olympians

Athletes from the Long Beach Public Schools began training in March for the Special Olympics Spring Games, which were hosted this year by Huntington High School and Connetquot High School. The committed athletes practiced weekly for a variety of challenging track and field events. Athletes Charles Butler, Alan Evangelista, Robert Greengus, Sophie Hoffman, Anthony Hug, Matthew Karasin, Keegan McCarthy, Max McCarthy, Jett McKevitt, Emanuel Muniz and Madeline Sipperley represented the Long Beach Schools with spirit and pride.

Coaches Stacey Durnan and Stephanie Esposito, along with teacher assistants Aileen Monahan, Justin Salorio and Jean Golia, prepared the students for the various events. The athletes competed in the 50-meter dash, running long jump and softball throw. In addition to learning the skills necessary to compete in these events, the athletes also practiced teamwork and perseverance. High school student volunteers Stephania Flores, Ashley Arjune, Cathryna Hughes, Rachel Moehlehoff, Jillian Bailey, Kelly Dublynn and Vincent Pasqua proved to be positive role models throughout the training process. They assisted the athletes during warm-ups, practice and on the day of the event.

"Our determined athletes took home several gold, silver and bronze medals," said Ms. Durnan. "It was evident on the day of the event that athletes understood the meaning of the Special Olympics mantra, which states, 'Let me win, but if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt!' All those involved were impressed to see Long Beach's Special Olympians put forth effort, determination and passion to achieve their goals."

District Art Show

The commons area of Long Beach High School was transformed into an art gallery for Long Beach Public Schools' sixth annual District Art Show on May 18-19. The special weekend exhibit included more than 700 paintings, photographs, prints, three-dimensional pieces, ceramics, graphic art pieces, drawings and fashion designs, all created by students in grades K-12. A number of pieces by high school students that have won awards at juried art shows around the county were on display, along with works created by the district's 30 All-County artists.

Senior Ambrose Plante opened the festivities on Friday evening with a classical guitar performance, setting an elegant mood for visitors as they viewed the artwork.

Lido Cafeteria Ribbon-Cutting

The kindergarten classes at Lido School had the honor of being the first students to eat in their school's brand new cafeteria on May 4. As the first students to use the new facility, it was only fitting that they be invited to officiate over the ribbon-cutting ceremony. A few days later, members of the community were invited to see the new facility for the first time at the May 8 Board of Education Meeting, which was held in the Lido cafeteria. At the start of the meeting, board trustees Dr. Dennis Ryan, Roy Lester, Patrick Gallagher, Gina Guma and Darlene Tangney officiated over a second official ribbon-cutting ceremony.

The school is undergoing extensive renovations as part of a districtwide School Preservation Plan approved by voters in May 2009. Among the work to be completed at Lido School are a roof replacement, masonry restoration, a new space for the Pre-K program, new classrooms and mechanical, electrical, energy efficiency and plumbing upgrades, as well as new playground areas.

Spanish Spelling Bee Champs

Sabrina Eager and Karla Umanzor were crowned champions in the District Spanish Spelling Bee.

Competing against students in grades four and five, Sabrina, a fifth grader at Lido School, finished in first place in the elementary division. Finishing in second place was Hannah Zelinger, also from Lido School.

In the middle school competition, Karla, an eighth grader, finished first, with sixth grader Paulina Cardona earning a second-place trophy. The girls were comfortable sharing the spotlight and the winner's circle. Last year, Paulina, who was the reigning 2010 state champion, finished first, with Karla right behind her in second place.

Betsabe Montoya, a language teacher from the middle school, was the moderator. Three language teachers, Anna Carfagno, Aime Rivero and Sandra Yanowitch, served as the judges. The event was organized by District Director of World Languages and ELL Programs Vivian Fiallo.

"We are very proud of the accomplishments of all of our students," said Ms. Fiallo. "This annual Spanish Spelling Bee gives both our native speakers and non-native speakers an opportunity to showcase their knowledge of the Spanish language. My thanks to all of their teachers and parents for helping our students prepare for this event."

High School Students Read at Lido

District Career Fairs

Two of the main goals of Long Beach Public Schools are to provide students with college and career-readiness skills and to give them meaningful opportunities for community engagement. To help fulfill both of these goals, schools around the district hosted Career Day celebrations, giving students a chance to meet and speak with local professionals. The guest speakers shared their keys to success and their insights into dozens of traditional and nontraditional careers.

Leading off the celebration was the Long Beach Middle School Career Day. In the days leading up to the event, students filled out surveys to give them an idea of which careers might best suit their interests and abilities. The middle schoolers were paired with specific presenters based on their survey results. In small group settings, guest speakers talked about the skills and training they needed to be successful in their chosen careers, the tasks they perform on the job, and the challenges and rewards they experience on a daily basis. At the end of the day, students came away with a list of ideas for things they can start doing now to help them reach their future career goals.

The Long Beach High School Career Fair gave students an opportunity to network with local professionals representing a wide variety of careers, including law, medicine, public service, marketing, broadcasting, public relations, green technologies, school administration, business, finance, banking, accounting, hospitality, publishing, library services and the military. Students were also able to speak with representatives from local technical schools and explore summer job opportunities in the local community.

Lindell School hosted a two-day Career Awareness program for fifth graders. Parents and community members were invited to share their career experiences, focusing on the education and training needed to be successful in their careers. Brian Patton, who works for Global Security at NBC, explained the importance of working as a team, being responsible and demonstrating strong character. Long Beach Fire Chief Richard Corbett found math, science and history very helpful in his career. Andrew Miller, a criminal defense attorney, enlisted students to help him solve the "The Case of the Missing Lunch Box." Pediatrician Dr. Matthew Cohen shared his lifelong fascination with the human body. Although the 18 guest speakers represented a variety of professions, they all shared a love for their work and stressed the importance of being lifelong learners.

At Lido School's Sixth Annual Career Fair, students went on a hands-on adventure in career exploration, led by alumni, parents and local professionals representing careers as varied as real estate, law enforcement, web design, retail merchandising, lifeguarding and communications. Lts. Anthony Fallon and Sam Pinto of the Long Beach Fire Department allowed students to don their fire gear to help them experience what it feels like to be a firefighter. Drago Karodzic, the pizza chef at Long Beach Middle School, invited students to make their own pizzas. Local radio celebrity Halftime Howie simulated a radio broadcast. Chuck Kupfer, a golf pro at the Lido Golf Club, demonstrated the basics of a good swing. Master Park of Park's Martial Arts in Long Beach led students in a tae kwon do exercise. One of the most celebrated professionals of the day was Freeport police officer Dave Karp's canine partner Gunnar, who delighted students with a demonstration of his unique law enforcement skills.

Proving that it is never too early to start planning for future careers, West School kindergartners celebrated Community Day, creating a mini city called Westland in which they served as the bankers, grocery clerks, postal carriers, police officers and firefighters who kept the city humming. To prepare for Community Day, they visited local merchants and public services to learn more about the people who work in their neighborhood. In June, the older children at West School will celebrate their own Career Day, welcoming local community members to share useful advice that will help them start preparing for a host of promising careers.

Long Beach School District Named a Best Community for Music Education Second Year in a Row

The Long Beach City School District was one of 166 school districts across the country and 17 on Long Island to be recognized as a Best Community for Music Education by the NAMM Foundation. On April 17, the NAMM Foundation announced the results of its 13th annual Best Communities for Music Education (BCME) survey, which acknowledges schools and districts across the U.S. for their commitment to and support for music education in schools. This is the second year in a row that the Long Beach City School District has earned this distinction.

The BCME survey is a nationwide search for communities whose programs exemplify a strong commitment to music education. Established in 1999, BCME recognizes and celebrates schools, their administrators, teachers, board members, parents and students for their support of music education and their efforts to ensure access to all students as part of the core curriculum.

Each school receiving the "Best Communities" designation scored in the 80th percentile or higher in the survey's grading process. Participants in the survey answered detailed questions about funding, graduation requirements, music class participation, instruction time, facilities, support for the music program, and other relevant factors in their communities' music education programs. The responses were verified with district officials and the data was reviewed by advisory organizations. The 2011 survey was conducted in collaboration with the Institute for Educational Research and Public Service of Lawrence, Kansas, an affiliate of the University of Kansas.

More than 1,600 students participate in the Long Beach School District's 36 bands, orchestras and choral ensembles. Students in grades 5-12 participate in All-State, All-County, LISFA and NYSSMA festivals. In 2011-2012, four students earned All-State honors, 54 were named All-County musicians, and seven were chosen to perform at the Long Island String Festival. The High School Marching Band participates every year in the Newsday Marching Band Festival held at Hofstra University. Long Beach High School is one of only a handful of schools on Long Island that offers a guitar class as part of its arts curriculum, and the only guitar program in which students present a multi-act stage show at the end of the year. School groups also perform at various venues throughout Long Beach as a service to the community. The high school gives talented music students the opportunity to join the Tri-M Music Honor Society. Members tutor younger musicians and perform community outreach work.

"This two-time honor is a well-deserved recognition for the community, district leaders, teachers and parents who believe in music education and are assuring that it is part of a complete education for children in our schools," said Dr. Dale Johanson, the District Director of Comprehensive Arts. "It holds us up as an example of community support and commitment to music education."

A copy of the survey can be downloaded for review at www.nammfoundation.org.

3 Teams Qualify for OM State Finals

Two teams of Long Beach elementary school students and one team of Long Beach Middle School students finished in first place in the Odyssey of the Mind (OM) Regional Competition, held at Rosemary Kennedy Center in Wantagh on March 10. Their first-place finishes qualified them for the OM State Finals held in Binghamton on the weekend of March 31. A third elementary team finished in second place at the regional competition.

The first-place elementary team of Hannah Zelinger, Angelica Gonzales, Arjun Gupta, Jesse Thornton, Alexandra Melconian, Sabrina Eager and Sophia Valentin solved a problem called "Ooh-Motion Vehicle," which required them to design, build and drive a vehicle that would travel a course where it encountered three unique situations, displaying different human emotions for each encounter.

The first-place elementary team of Shira Mann, Madison Gusler, Aidan White, Jack Libasci, Elizabeth Kelly, Joan Sceppa and Julia Ashmead solved a problem entitled "To Be or Not to Be" in which they created a musical production wherein Hamlet is faced with a dilemma that teaches him that the easy way out is not always the correct choice.

The first-place middle school team of Emily Burns, Paulina Cardona, Dane DePasquale, Kelly Gannon, Savannah Kile, Mallie Littman and Carly Siegel completed a problem called "Odyssey Angels," which required the angels to travel through various places where they encountered negative situations and turn them into positives, helping individuals and saving communities along the way.

The second-place elementary team of Charlotte Kile, Lauren Crotty, Victoria Strickland, Jessica Greer, Shea McMahon, Sophie Stella and Talia Fernandez also solved the "Odyssey Angels" problem.

The three elementary teams prepared for the competition as part of the Long Beach School District's Learning Activities for Raising Creativity (LARC) program, under the direction of LARC teachers Beverlee Bertinetti and Caitlin Fuentes. The winning teams were made up of students from East, West, Lido and Lindell Elementary Schools, as well as Long Beach Catholic Regional School.

The middle school team, which consisted of sixth and seventh graders, prepared for the competition through the school's OM Club, under the direction of faculty coach Lorraine Radice. Many of the middle school winners had qualified to compete at both the State and World Finals in past years.

For more than 25 years, the district has had at least one team qualify for the State Finals. Last year, a grand total of four teams qualified for the State Finals, with two going on to compete at the World Finals for the first time.

Odyssey of the Mind is an international educational program that provides students with opportunities to apply their creativity to solve problems that range from building mechanical devices to presenting their own interpretation of literary classics. Thousands of teams from throughout the U.S. and approximately 25 countries abroad participate in the program.

The Long Beach students who participate in OM say that it teaches them to think outside of the box, be creative, practice teamwork, overcome fears and get along with others. They say they must also be committed to working countless hours, brainstorming, writing and practicing their scripts, and creating props and costumes to prepare for competition.

Friends of the Arts Committee

A "Friends of the Arts" committee has been formed to promote the advancement of the arts in Long Beach Public Schools and the surrounding community. The goals of the organization are to further enhance and enrich the cultural life of students by promoting student arts and cultural events, recognizing student achievements and providing better communication between the district and the community at large. The organization hopes to create new ways to recognize, appreciate and support students' practice and enjoyment of the arts through special events and fundraising activities.

The committee recently held an organizational meeting to elect officers. Superintendent of Schools David Weiss was the guest speaker. "I appreciate everyone's support of our students," he told the group. "You will play an important role in celebrating the successes of our students and solidifying community support for the arts."

The committee has already been active selling T-shirts and refreshments at the recent high school musical production. Other fundraisers are planned for the spring concert season. The goal of this year's fundraisers will be to raise money for scholarships and awards to be presented at the high school Senior Award Night.

"We believe that all children possess talents and gifts that if left untapped will create a void in our society," said Friends of the Arts Administrative Liaison Dr. Dale Johanson. "It is our hope that the world will become a better place through the cultural enrichment of our children who will someday give their talents to the world."

The committee welcomes parents, community members, musicians and concerned citizens to join them in this worthy cause. For more information, contact President Bari Klirsfeld at 516- 815-7178 or baripres@aol.com.

Math Matters at Lido

Students at Lido School received a special visit from John Hinton, an LIU CW Post math professor, author of six books on mathematics, and publisher of Math Matters, a national journal of math games for elementary and middle school teachers.

Professor Hinton engaged students in activities such as "Order in the House," a math reasoning game in which students were asked to roll dice, add the numbers, and use their reasoning skills to try to place the sums in order from least to greatest after each roll. Student were also intrigued by a guessing game called "Join the Club," in which they were invited into Professor Hinton's club when they were able to surmise the number pattern and guess the next number in the sequence.

The teachers, who have attended instructional workshops conducted by Professor Hinton, were also able to benefit from watching him model techniques he had taught them in his workshops.

WordMasters First in Nation

Competing in the most difficult Blue Division, a team of district third graders finished first in the nation among 520 teams in the second WordMasters Challenge meet of the school year, held in February. WordMasters is a national language arts competition entered by more than 220,000 students annually. The students participated in the competition through the district's Learning Activities to Raise Creativity (LARC) program, under the direction of LARC teacher Beverlee Bertinetti.

The winning team consisted of Uma Arengo, Maya Arengo, Sophia Chigounis, Elisa Richter, Delphine Esformes, Abbey Carpenter, Aadhi Murugaveri, Jude Pizzone, Francesca Macchia, Douglas Weiss and Tyler Collinson.

"This was such an amazing accomplishment for third graders who are competing in the WordMasters Challenge this year for the first time," said Ms. Bertinetti.

Several Long Beach elementary students also won highest honors for individual achievement. Third graders Uma Arengo, Charles Ashmead, Sophia Chigounis, Delphine Esformes, Aadhi Murugaveri, Elias Richter and Jasmine Soriano and fifth graders Michael Corsale, Ryan Das, Talia Fernandez, Joan Sceppa and Hannah Zelinger all earned perfect scores in the meet. Nationwide, only 83 third graders and 224 fifth graders achieved perfect scores.

The WordMasters Challenge is an exercise in critical thinking that encourages students to become familiar with a set of new words above their grade level, and then challenges them to use those words to complete analogies expressing various kinds of relationships—an exercise that helps students learn to think analytically and metaphorically.

Grade 5 Orientation

During Grade 5 Orientation Month at Long Beach Middle School, fifth graders from all four elementary schools were invited to visit the middle school to get a feel for what life will be like for them when they become middle school students next year.

In a newly revised orientation program, each class of fifth graders visited on a separate day, giving the students a chance to experience a day in the life of a middle school student. Each visitor was paired with a sixth-grade buddy who was a graduate of the same elementary school. During their two-hour visit, the younger students went on a building tour and attended classes with their buddies. During their shared lunch period, the buddies went together to a question-and-answer session that provided a comfortable, intimate setting for the fifth graders to ask questions and for the sixth graders to share useful advice about academics, clubs, extra help, sports and special activities such as the annual Grade 6 trip to Frost Valley. While students were attending classes, each teacher was able to visit at length with the middle school guidance staff to discuss appropriate placements for his or her students.

"In the past, all the fifth-grade classes from each school had their orientation visit on the same day," said Principal Dr. Michele Natali. "This smaller scale buddy format, with one class visiting at a time, gives the students a better chance to get a more genuine feel for what middle school will be like next year."

WordMasters Sixth in Nation

A number of Long Beach Middle School and elementary students were recognized for their outstanding team and individual achievements in the first WordMasters Challenge meet of the school year, held in December. WordMasters is a national language arts competition entered by approximately 220,000 students annually.

Competing in the most difficult Blue Division, the Long Beach Middle School sixth-grade team of Benedict Albergo, Samuel Brinster, Emily Burns, Ava DeBruin, Blaise Derenze, Evan Garcia, Tristan Groh, Colleen Mannle, Marina Meyer, Violet O'Connell, Trevor Radin, Jesse Scott, Lucia Techera and Gabriel Wilkens-Vega tied for sixth place in the nation among the 403 teams competing at this grade level and division. Samuel, Jesse and Gabriel also received highest honors for individual achievement. They were among the 120 sixth graders in the nation to earn a perfect score. The rest of the team members scored an impressive 19 out of 20. Students prepared for this competition through the middle school's Activities Promoting Thinking program, under the direction of Lorraine Radice.

At the elementary level, fifth grader Charles Gorton, a student at Long Beach Catholic Regional School, was one of only 130 students in his division to achieve a perfect score, competing in the Blue Division. Tyler Collinson of Lido School, who was the top-scoring Long Beach third grader, was one of only 130 third graders throughout the country to score a 19 out of 20 in the Blue Division. This was the first time that she and her fellow third graders took part in the WordMasters Challenge. Elementary students participated in the competition through the district's Learning Activities for Raising Creativity (LARC) program, under the direction of LARC teachers Beverlee Bertinetti and Caitlin Fuentes.

Great Bedtime Pajama Drive

Taking up a call to action to help children in shelters, foster care and orphanages sleep more comfortably, Lido Elementary School families participated in the Pajama Program's Great Bedtime Story Pajama Drive. Together they collected 222 pairs of snuggly pajamas, which will be distributed to children in Nassau County. They also collected $70 in checks and five books to donate to the cause. Each grade had a box of pajamas on display in the main lobby, with one star placed above for every pair of pajamas they donated, making the front window a shining example of their service to others.

To celebrate the good work they had done, students, teachers, parents and grandparents all wore pajamas and fuzzy slippers to school for a Great Bedtime Pajama Party. Parents visited their children's classrooms to read books and complete craft projects together, all of which revolved around the theme of expressing thanksgiving for their own blessings and their wishes for the world.

This is just one example of the many community service activities that Long Beach Public School children participate in as part of the district's goal to promote citizenship, caring and empathy.

Long Beach Schools Celebrate Red Ribbon Week

All across the Long Beach City School District, students were celebrating the importance of making responsible decisions as they participated in a celebration of Red Ribbon Week. As part of the district's continuing instruction in social and emotional learning, activities at all four elementary schools were geared toward teaching students the skills they need to make healthy choices, now and in the future.

At Lido School, the festivities began with each student signing a banner and placing their wishes for their future in a Red Ribbon wish box. During the week, they wore their shirts backwards as a reminder to turn their back on drugs, participated in a can drive for local food pantries, and wore caps to remember to put a cap on drugs. On Friday, everyone wore red to march in a parade around the school, chanting "We make healthy choices every day!"

Lindell School's Red Ribbon Week theme was "It's Up to Me." During the opening celebration, students and teachers joined forces, using puppets, props, songs and dances to present skits about making responsible choices. Each day, different classroom activities reinforced the message of the opening assembly.

The theme of East School's celebration was "'Bee' Healthy." Students showed their commitment to good health by filling a bulletin board with bees bearing the names of every child in the school. Throughout the week, teachers incorporated healthy themes into their lesson plans. Students wore their team jerseys to team up for healthy decisions, crazy hats as a reminder to use their heads to make healthy choices, and work boots to give junk food the boot.

At West School, students pledged to be "Rockin' Students of Good Character." They wore sunglasses as a reminder to shine like a star, wore crazy socks to rock their socks off and be healthy, and dressed in pajamas to rock-a-bye baby and be drug-free. They finished up the week with a Rock Star Rally to celebrate their commitment to a healthy lifestyle. At the end of the rally, students marched around the west end of Long Beach with posters depicting slogans such as "We Will Rock You by Being Drug-Free."

The Red Ribbon program is the nation's largest and oldest drug awareness campaign. The mission of the program is to encourage others to make a visible commitment to eradicate drug abuse from our homes, schools, communities and nation.

LBHS Students Bring the Constitution to Life at Lido School

In what has become an annual Constitution Day tradition, a group of Long Beach High School juniors and seniors in the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program visited classrooms at Lido Elementary School to teach a special lesson about the role the Constitution plays in our system of government.

The high school students came armed with their advanced knowledge of U.S. History to discuss the functions of the three branches of government and the balance of power among them as ensured by the U.S. Constitution. After a brief introduction, students broke into groups to color pictures of the White House, the Capitol Building and the Supreme Court, and to complete a Constitution Day word search. While the younger children colored, the older students led them in lively discussions about the importance of the democratic system of checks and balances.

This is just one of many special outreach projects that these high school students plan to accomplish throughout the year as part of the Creativity, Action and Service requirement for International Baccalaureate Diploma candidates.

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Source: http://www.lbeach.org/schools/lido_news