F.P-Bellerose cited for music ed

Floral Park-Bellerose Union Free School District is pleased to announce that it has received a Best Communities for Music Education designation from The NAMM Foundation for its outstanding commitment to music education.

The district earned the recognition after answering questions about funding, music class participation, instruction time, facilities, support for the music program and community musicmaking programs. The responses were verified by school officials and reviewed by The Music Research Institute at the University of Kansas.

Herricks Special Education Parent Teacher Association recently hosted the 2023 Student Peer Awards.

Manor Oaks School students in grades K-6 learned about Ramadan and practiced mindfulness during their recent physical education lessons.

Manor Oaks School fourth graders recently culminated a biography unit and presented their work on April 3.

Floral Park-Bellerose UFSD was selected among 830 districts across the nation for this honor.

Manor Oaks School fifth graders participated in the Ramadanbased lesson in gym on April 20.

In the gymnasium, 12 stations were set up that reflected the 12 months of the Islamic calendar. At each station, students were tasked with trying out yoga poses and breathing techniques and practicing mindfulness. The students also brought their Chromebooks to the lesson, using the program Nearpod to learn facts about the holiday at one of the stations. This was all done while the gym lights were on to represent daytime. When the lights were shut off, the students were tasked with collecting toy food and cereal boxes from the center of the room to represent how families who celebrate Ramadan are only able to eat when the sun goes down.

Physical education teacher Lisa Santos created this new activity this school year. She spoke to both students and their families for feedback in order to create the game. This physical education lesson correlates with the district’s goal to “continue to integrate inclusive and culturally competent practices to promote a districtwide culture of belonging.”

The students selected a famous figure from history, researched them and explored ways they are still influential today. They then wrote a report and a monologue from the person’s perspective, as well as created posters with facts and photos.

For the closing Biography Museum event, the students dressed as their chosen person to read their monologue and present their posters to visiting parents and family members.

Manor Oaks School fourth graders in Janine Bonura’s class presented their biography projects on April 3.