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Friday, November 4, 2016
Vol. 76, No. 43
SYOSSET SIEMENS SCIENTISTS
Jericho MS leads the way against bullying BY SUSAN HEILIG
Photo courtesy of the Syosset School District
Syosset Deputy Superintendent Adele Bovard (second from left), Syosset High School Principal Dr. Giovanni Durante (far right), Science Coordinator Raymond Loverso (far left) and Research Facilitator Veronica Ade (second from right) are pictured congratulating the high school’s nine semifinlalists in the Siemens Competition. Nine Syosset High School seniors were named regional semifinalists in the Siemens Foundation Competition for Math, Science and Technology. A day after learning that the school had achieved a school record for semifinalists and second-most semifinalists of any Long Island school this year (tied for most projects selected at seven), they learned that two of these students advanced as finalists. Finalists Eric Pun and Nikhil Saggi collaborated on a project that infused the chemical sodium silicate into concrete for durability. They used varying conditions to conclude that cold weather and water had a mitigating effect on this process. Mohamed El-Abtah, Crystal Li, Rushabh Metha, Dahyun Park, Yash Samantaray, Jordan Sanford and Jonah Wu round out the
school’s semifinalists. Dahyun and Jordan worked as a team, while Yash and Crystal collaborated with students from other school districts for their research. “I am very proud and excited for our school record of nine Siemens semifinalists,” said Ade. “These students have worked diligently in our research program, spending countless hours on their projects in order to put their best product out there.” Syosset was one of three Long Island high schools with two finalists among 10 Island finalists overall. Eric and Nikhil will present their research to judges from Carnegie Mellon University on Nov. 19 via videoconference. Winners are eligible for scholarships ranging from $1,000 to $100,000 and will be announced November 21.
Dr. Donald Gately, Middle School Principal, and Mrs. Joanne Verdino, Jericho Middle School social worker, along with the entire staff of the Jericho School District from our security guards to our bus drivers, the Middle School PTSA, Jericho Teachers Association, and Jericho SEPTA proudly supports the Jericho Olweus Program, now in its fifth year. The Olweus program encompasses many key links that make it work so successfully. Foremost, Olweus is a full year program for the students, their teachers and staff. The Olweus program includes a very active advisory board of teachers, staff and parents that meet regularly, and have volunteered to help end bullying in our schools and community. This year was no exception, as the Board met several times last year and this school year, to make sure we were ready for another successful year and Kick off. For the past four years, we have had a Kick off for Olweus by hosting a full day walk-a-thon that all teachers, staff and students can participate in. We walk four times around our school track (each lap gets a popsicle stick) when you have four sticks you turn them in for a necklace and a colorful plastic foot. For each additional mile walked, you add another foot to your collection, and this goes on all day during school hours. The teachers are given the option of giving up class time and going out
as a team and walking together, or incorporating their lesson plans into the walk. This year we are proud to announce we walked 5,482 miles as a community! Middle School parents were invited to join us to walk, or run, at any point during the Kick Off program to end Bullying along with their children. Several families, individuals, companies, and organizations helped sponsor the Olweus Kick Off Walk-a-thon to ensure every sixth grade student, new teacher and staff member had the official neon yellow school t shirt. The t shirts are worn by all participants on the day of the walk which was held on Wednesday, October 19. The t shirts have our motto of “We don’t stand by; We stand up”. This year our theme was “Everyone Counts” and was supported by notes of support on all the Middle School lockers on the morning of the Walkathon. During the days leading up to the event, signs were handed out saying “He/She counts” and foam number 1 fingers in the school colors of gold and blue. Pictures and videos were taken with all the classes, parents visiting the school, and staff using the foam fingers and signs, and reciting “that everyone counts”. In our foreign language classes they learned the motto in their chosen language! These were used in our opening and closing ceremonies as highlights! With all the flood of yellow shirts on the day of the event it See page 10
Baylis School car wash raises funds PAGE 22 Cantiague School holds book fair PAGE 12