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Community Update

April 12, 2024

Community Update April 12, 2024
Community Update April 12, 2024

Dear Syosset Community:

Monday’s eclipse was literally a field day for our high school Astronomy Club, who hosted the ultimate viewing party on the high school flag football field bleachers. The 30-member club joined with other spectators and teachers to watch the eclipse and count down to the moment where the moon reached maximum coverage. The club’s Vice President, Derek Huang, shared some striking images he captured with his camera and solar lens filter. And our science staff were showing off a fascinating cardboard box camera obscura for safely viewing the eclipse.
From low-tech to high-tech, not far from where the club was set up, I bumped into future Astronomy Club member, Cameron Tsai, an HBT 8th grader who was viewing the eclipse through a high-powered telescope. At ~3:12pm, 15 minutes before the maximum coverage, he snapped photos that showed a cluster of sun spots, which were (relatively speaking) very cool!

The Astronomy Club enjoys sharing their love of topics like dark matter, space-time, constellations, and model spacecraft! Their week started with the eclipse and is ending with their main event – Family Astronomy Night – which conveniently is TONIGHT until 8:30pm. High school students spend the night educating their younger peers about Astronomy using “Planetarium, Rockets, Slime, and Face Paint.” Stop by while you still can!


They’re not the only student club having a big week. Last Thursday, in anticipation of this week’s Eid al-Fitr holiday, the high school’s newly-formed Muslim Student Association hosted an Iftar, the traditional meal that breaks the daily Ramadan fast. The event brought together about 100 people. Like the Lunar New Year Arts festival earlier this year, it’s been great to see our students taking the lead in celebrating and sharing their cultural touchstones.

Fond Farewell

By law, every public school Superintendent has some responsibilities for the non-public schools in their geographic area. I’m fortunate to have good partnerships with our nearby schools and their leaders. I deemed my invitation to read aloud to Kindergarteners at St. Edwards Catholic School yesterday to be priceless compensation. Entering the building, I noticed the wonderful sign below, a compliment to both the school and its leader, Mr. Vincent Albrecht. However, the news was bittersweet – Mr. Albrecht was just named the new principal of St. John the Baptist High School in West Islip. So, my congratulations to St. Edwards and to Vincent, and my best wishes to both as they each start a new chapter.

Reminder 📆

A reminder that this coming Tuesday, April 16th, there will be a Budget Information and Monthly Board of Education meeting beginning at 8pm at South Woods Middle School. If you’d like to participate in the Audience to the Public, please fill out the form at this link by 5pm the day of the meeting.

#SyoStars🌟 #SyoStars🌟

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The High School Mathletes have closed out the season in second place in Nassau County! Under the leadership of coaches Kimberly Dwyer and Mark McBurnie, the team competed against 95 other teams in the Nassau Math Tournament at SUNY Old Westbury. Our upper division teams placed 1st and 5th – the lower division teams placed 2nd and 10th. Eleven students placed in the top ten for their grade level. But wait, there’s more! Twelve students qualified for the state competition later this month – and regional competition in June. Congrats team!

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The foundation of this math acumen starts in middle school. Headed outside to see the eclipse, I stumbled across a pizza party at South Woods Middle School. It turned out to be a celebration for the team who competed in the Long Island Math Fair at Hofstra University. Students prepared and presented research on a math topic of their choice – ranging from Pascal’s Triangle to Probability in Genetics… to Pi. Every one of the 12 students who participated came home with a medal! Three gold, four silver, four bronze. Wow. Way to go, students (and teachers!)!

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SyoScioly Heading to Nationals!

The Syosset Science Olympiad team is heading to Nationals for the second consecutive year! The team traveled to Syracuse last month to compete in the New York State Tournament. Not only did they take first place for the second year in a row, but the team made history by achieving the best score ever in the tournament's 40-year history. Wait, what?! Out of 22 events, they brought home eight gold medals, seven silvers, and two bronzes. In May, the group will strut their stuff in Michigan. Good luck, #SyoScioly! Keep making us proud!!

#SyoSports

More to report from Newsday!

  • Junior Leah Chin has been named to Newsday’s All-Long Island gymnastics team for the third year in a row. Her skills on the mat helped lead Syosset to its fifth Nassau County championship title.

  • Senior AJ AbuSaab was named to the All-Long Island boys basketball second team. Coach Greg Cardona is quoted as calling AJ “a force” on defense.

  • And, for the second year in a row, Newsday has named Syosset Boys Swimming and Diving coach Michael Cipollino Coach of the Year. He led our team to another undefeated season and a Nassau County championship title.


Congrats Leah, AJ, and Coach Cipollino! You make us #SyoProud!

Bright Spot

When sports transcend competition, they serve as a powerful force for community building, and our student athletes have proven that this month.


Syosset’s baseball team joined forces with their counterparts in Plainview to raise money for fallen NYPD police officer Jonathan Diller’s family. In the lead up to their league matchup, the teams secured NYPD hats for players to wear as a sign of respect for Officer Diller and all first responders who keep us safe. In all, they collected more than $2,000 to give to the family, demonstrating what opponents can accomplish when they team up.

Another heart-warming story took place on the ice (and during Neurodiversity Awareness Month!). The Syosset Club Ice Hockey team laced up their skates for a friendly match up against The Long Island Blues. On their website, the Blues call themselves a “special hockey team" for neurodivergent children and young adults. Due to limited competition in the Blues league, they don’t get to play too many games every year. So, Syosset’s team eagerly raises their hand to fill the Blues’ schedule… and this year, the Blues emerged victorious!

We sometimes think of the beginning of spring sports as the end of cold and flu season. But, this year’s flu is stubbornly persistent and we’re seeing other common, yet serious illnesses circulating. A friendly reminder from your school nurses: stay home when you're sick until you’re 24-hours fever free without medications and no longer have any other viral symptoms. Spread joy, not germs 👍.


#Light&Love

Tom Rogers

Syosset Central School District
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