School Notebook: Helping ESL families
Long Island schools are finding creative ways to increase comfort for students of English as a second language -- and, in some cases, for their parents.
In Long Beach, the school district hosted a family fun night last month for ESL pupils in grades K-12 in which parents sampled games and methods that teachers use to help kids improve their language proficiency, story-building skills and sentence-sequencing abilities.
District officials also encouraged parents to join a new ESL program at the district's adult learning center that offers English and computer instruction.
"It is our intent to work with our non-English speaking families to help them to succeed in our community," said Vivian Fiallo, the district's director of world languages and English language learning.
In Rockville Centre, William S. Covert Elementary School launched an initiative to help parents improve their speaking skills through an online program at Rockville Centre Public Library. Principal Darren Raymar also distributed dictionaries and computers to 14 families at the school's ESL Back to School Night in September.
Ronkonkoma Middle School recently held an ESL family dinner that included a "parade of nations" in which students dressed up in traditional clothing and marched around holding the flag of their heritage.
"This also gives parents an opportunity to meet teachers that work with their children every day," said Kim Licato, chair of the district's ESL and languages other than English.
In Amityville, 30 ESL students at Edmund W. Miles Middle School recently collaborated on an ebook that included tips on how new students can adjust to school and social life.
Literacy Luau
Connetquot High School recently celebrated the joy of reading through a districtwide Literacy Luau that attracted more than 1,500 students, teachers and parents. A group of 27 children's book authors were on hand to discuss their works, and activities included a reading-themed puppet show and a story time in which older students read to younger ones. The event was sponsored by the Connetquot Foundation for the Advancement of Children.
New superintendent
Cheryl Pedisich has been named the new superintendent of Three Village Central School District, effective July 1. She will replace Neil Lederer, who is currently holding the position on an interim basis.
Pedisich, whose selection was announced at a school board meeting Oct. 25, most recently served as the district's assistant superintendent for education, curriculum, instruction and pupil personnel services. She began her Three Village career as a guidance counselor nearly 30 years ago.
"I look forward to this position with great enthusiasm and dedication," Pedisich said.
Physical education grant
Sachem Central School District has received one of 76 grants issued nationwide through the U.S. Department of Education's Carol M. White Physical Education Program to implement or expand physical activity or nutrition programs. Sachem was Suffolk County's sole recipient and will receive $1.5 million over three years.
"We have a tremendous team that put this grant in place, and we are very proud of this outstanding accomplishment," said the district's athletic director Peter Blieberg.
ISLANDWIDE
Writing awards
Twenty-one Long Island students were among 520 nationwide to win 2011 Achievement Awards in Writing from the National Council of Teachers of English based on teacher nominations, a sample of their writing, and an impromptu essay written in a 75-minute period.
Bay Shore: Matthew Cohen of Bay Shore High School; East Meadow: Arjan Singh of W. Tresper Clarke High School; East Setauket: Leanna O'Brien of Ward Melville High School; Garden City: Franklin Dickinson of Garden City High School; Great Neck: Eve Matthaey and Jacob Roth of Great Neck South High School; Herricks: Madiha Sewani of Herricks High School; Huntington: Holly Blakley of Huntington High School; Levittown: Alyssa Kate Pascual of Island Trees High School; Jericho: Elvina Yau of Jericho High School; Long Beach: Jane Smyth of Long Beach High School; Manhasset: Katherine Nevitt of Manhasset High School; North Bellmore: Brendan Donohue and Louis Marzella of Mepham High School; Old Westbury: Kristen Lee of The Wheatley School; Smithtown: Emily Roach of Smithtown High School West; Christine Davis of Smithtown High School East; Syosset: Sophie Ann Chen, Alex Lombardi, Cindy Niu and Amanda Rosati of Syosset High School.
Out East with Doug Geed: Wine harvests, a fish market, baked treats and poinsettias NewsdayTV's Doug Geed visits two wineries and a fish market, and then it's time for holiday cheer, with a visit to a bakery and poinsettia greenhouses.
Out East with Doug Geed: Wine harvests, a fish market, baked treats and poinsettias NewsdayTV's Doug Geed visits two wineries and a fish market, and then it's time for holiday cheer, with a visit to a bakery and poinsettia greenhouses.
