Locust Valley Central School District

The varsity football team will wear new uniforms at the homecoming game this season, and your student can win a field-level game day experience! Any district student from grades K-8 is eligible to submit their own jersey design to their building’s main office by Friday, Oct. 17. The most creative designers will join the team on the sidelines ahead of the game and accompany the captains out to midfield for the coin toss at the homecoming game on Saturday, Oct. 25, at 2 p.m.

This fall, the Locust Valley High School welcomed new assistant principal Daniel Cava into the Falcon family.

Cava is looking forward to establishing and building personal relationships with the students and faculty. While in Island Trees, Cava was an active leader in the school community. He taught middle school technology and high school AP computer science and robotics and coached junior varsity baseball and middle school soccer.

“Being able to support student passions is what I’d like to do,” Cava said. “Anytime a student has an interest, I ask how can I best help them to explore that interest and make them feel like they belong and have a place that they look forward to coming to every day.”

Cava returns to a traditional district setting after serving as an assistant principal at Nassau BOCES for the past three years. Prior to that, Cava worked as the coordinator of instructional technology in the Glen Cove City School District for two years and as a technology teacher in the Island Trees Union Free School District from 2013 to 2020.

Cava also remarked about the incredible talent he has heard coming from the chorus and orchestra rooms. Cava grew up playing the trumpet and now plays the ukulele in his free time and is excited to see the incredible instrumental talent on display at the winter and spring concerts. Additionally, he is excited to see the robotics teams at work, as he helped start the program in Island Trees.

Locust Valley Middle School faculty and administrators have spent the past two years spreading positivity through the ‘Caught Being Kind’ program by highlighting random acts of kindness done by students. This year got off a fantastic start, as a school record 40 students were recognized for their model behavior.

Each month for the past two years, students have learned that a staff member saw them commit a generous or thoughtful act such as helping classmates carry their binders, holding doors open for classmates and staff members, going out of their way to include others at lunch tables and helping other students understand class lessons and concepts.

“I think highlighting students as leaders and role models in the building has helped us to spread positivity,” Principal Michael Cestaro said. “I’m so proud of the students and faculty for buying in and doing what they can to make this a place people are excited to come back to every day.”

Congratulations to the following students on their achievement: Maria Abbondandolo, Shelly Abrams, Giselle Alsayedi, Sienna Barba, Sophia Capozzi, Parker Charon, Dylan Cobas, Luca Cosimo, Paige Dannan, Richard Fajardo Romero, Fallyn Gorham, Aidan Gallagher, Francesco Gallina, Makayla George, Katie Granados Canales, Emma Grodstein, Khadin Hazratalie, George Hoffman, Gibson Larice, Christina Lazarus, Cecilia Liu, Eamonn McGovern, Seamus McLoughlin, AnnaMarie Megerian, Dylan Mejia, Eric Mohan, Luigi Passalacqua, Kyle Pouey, Eric Rajkowski, Dylan Reinecke, Eliza Reyes, Ryder Riso, Damien Rojas, Jack Schneider, Jackson Shapses, Tapasya Sreenivas, Yhara Talla, Tea Witzenburg and Alexa Wood.

The district invites all to an exciting celebration of the different cultures that make up our special community. Come to the middle/high school mini-theater on Thursday, Oct. 9, at 6:45 p.m. to enjoy unique treats, dances and music. Learn more about staying up to date with district news through ParentSquare, communicating with building principals regarding student drop off and pick up with Parent Patrol and monitoring your child’s grades on the Parent Portal.

The Locust Valley Central School District is seeking passionate and dedicated individuals to join the team in both instructional and noninstructional roles. In-demand positions include substitute special education teacher, NYS-certified teacher assistants, elementary and secondary teacher aides, bus drivers and bus attendants. Whether you are an experienced educator or someone who enjoys supporting our young learners, we would love to hear from you.

Additional openings are available on the Human Resources and Personnel page on the district website.

https://locustvalleycsdny.sites.thrillshare.com/page/human-resources-appr

This October, community members are invited to two events focused on the ‘Leader in Me’ program. This Thursday, Oct. 9, parents/guardians are invited to the first Coffee with the Superintendent meeting with Dr. Turnow. The district will also host a parent information session about the PK-12 educational framework ‘Leader in Me’ on Oct. 21, from 6:30-7:30 p.m., at the Locust Valley Intermediate School auditorium. Community members will have an opportunity to hear from the Leader in Me trainer, Gary McGuey.

Locust Valley High School was well represented on the 71st Annual National Merit Scholarship Competition, with five students named semi-finalists and two earning commended student status.

Seniors Evie Bergman, Eunseo Choi, Grant Creedon, Justin Kwok and Abigail Vuong are among 16,000 semi-finalists of the over 1.3 million students who entered the scholarship program by excelling on the PSAT/NMSQT exams. These students have the opportunity to continue in the competition for 6,930 National Merit Scholarships worth nearly $26 million. Fellow seniors Evan Rafiy and Adhvaith Sreenivas were recognized as commended students for their academic promise.

Eager to gain information that will help them plan their futures, Locust Valley High School students flocked to the gym on Tuesday for the first college fair this school year. The fair was abuzz with excitement as students interacted with over 75 college admissions counselors, international study abroad program representatives and the military services representatives, gaining insight and learning about their post-secondary options.

The Locust Valley Falcons are off to a successful start to the fall seasons, aided by the hirings of accomplished coaches Joe Knoll and Rob Perpall for varsity football and Phil Goldberg for the middle school girls soccer team.

Knoll is recognized as one of Long Island’s most successful football coaches, with time spent as the head coach at Sewanhaka, Lynbrook, Locust Valley and Oyster Bay high schools. In Locust Valley, Knoll built one of the top programs in Conference IV history, making the playoffs in four of five seasons, winning the conference three years in a row and an appearance in a conference championship game.

Knoll’s players earned numerous individual honors, including all-conference and all-county selections, one player participating in the high-profile Boomer Esiason Game and several going on to compete at the collegiate level.

Perpall’s led the Seaford High School football program for 21 seasons, amassing a record of 149-59-1 and guiding the Vikings to eight county championships and tow Long Island championships. He earned personal accolades such as Long Island Coach of the Year and New York Jets High School Coach of the Week. He comes to Locust Valley ending his retirement from 2018.

Phil Goldberg brings varsity level coaching to the middle school team, having coached girls soccer at Plainview High School (1988-1989), Island Trees High School (1990-2009) and Oyster Bay High School (2010-2014). During his tenure at Island Trees, his teams made seven Nassau County finals appearances and secured a county championship in 1993. Goldberg earned Coach of the Year honors and sportsmanship awards from the Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association for his positive demeanor on and off the field. Goldberg was inducted into the New York State High School Girls Soccer Hall of Fame as a Coach/Contributor in 2020.

With a stacked roster of coaches, the Falcons are ready to fly to new heights this season.

The Board of Education welcomed this year’s student ex-officio members, Grant Creedon and Christian Ciccone, at last night’s meeting. As the high school’s student government president and vice president, Grant and Christian will provide student voices at every public board meeting this school year.

“As we begin the school year, we are excited not just about homecoming and senior year traditions, but also college applications, learning and making an impact on our community,” Creedon said in his first student report to the board. “As student leaders, we hope to improve involvement, increase school spirit and make sure every voice is heard.”

Students from Locust Valley and Bayville elementary schools held their annual Patriot Day ceremonies to continue the mission to never forget the tragic events of the September 11th attack on the 24th anniversary.

Music students and teachers marked ceremonies at Ann MacArthur Primary School and Bayville Primary School with the playing of Taps, reading of poetry and laying of flowers by the flag poles at each school.

This district is excited to announce our new teachers and staff members for the 2025-2026 school year. We are looking forward seeing the positive impact they will have on students of all ages.

Please join us in welcoming: Amanda Basedow, Kole Castro, Jessica Caracciola, Samantha Cavanagh, Jessica Cestaro, Brian Fong, Amanda Hanham, Rachel McNamara, Melissa Matovic, Marykate Murnane, Livia Muzante, Melanie Popovits, Nicole Rapacciuolo, Alyssa Straber, Megan Sulinski, Cayla Valente and Ian Walsh.

Abigail Vuong, a student at Locust Valley High School, has been selected to perform in the New York State School Music Association (NYSSMA) All-State Festival as Flute 2 in the Symphony Orchestra.

This prestigious honor places Abigail among the state’s top high school musicians, who will come together to perform at the annual All-State Festival in Rochester this December. Students are chosen through a highly competitive audition process that evaluates both technical mastery and musical artistry.

In addition to her All-State recognition, Abigail was also named a Merit Award Recipient for the 2025–2026 Long Island Scholar-Artist Awards. This program, presented by the Long Island Arts Alliance in partnership with Newsday, honors high-achieving students who demonstrate outstanding accomplishment in both academics and the arts.

As a Merit Award Recipient, Abigail’s name and photo will be published in Newsday in June 2026 as part of a special feature recognizing Scholar-Artists and Merit Award winners across Long Island. She will also be honored at the annual awards ceremony in the spring.

“Abigail’s accomplishments as both a scholar-artist and an All-State musician reflect her extraordinary dedication and talent,” said AnnMarie Buonaspina, Coordinator of Instructional Technology and the Fine and Applied Arts, K-12. “Her passion, discipline, and commitment to excellence in both academics and the arts are nothing short of inspiring. We are so proud of all she has accomplished and look forward to what lies ahead for her.”

A thrilling new school year starts today! Our staff is excited to welcome students back into the buildings for another year of learning, personal growth and accomplishments in our beautiful community.

I hope you all had a summer filled with relaxing and exhilarating moments with loved ones. A new school year brings challenges, but I believe it is best to see them as a series of chances to learn and grow. I am confident that our staff and community members will continue to provide excellent examples of maturity, kindness and, especially, leadership to our students.

This year, our intermediate schools will get their first look at the Leader in Me program, which was introduced into our elementary curriculum last year. This program is an evidence-based initiative designed to nurture student leadership and life skills through goal setting, focusing on effective communication and relationship building. Leader in Me, which has seen use in over 70 countries over the past three decades, is based on the book, “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People,” by Stephen R. Covey.

Our district has led the way in keeping internet-enabled electronic devices, mainly smartphones, out of the classroom to avoid the distractions they bring. We were ahead of the curve in our middle and high school, which has allowed us to prepare students for the new state law banning these devices during the school day. Students will be permitted to bring these devices to school, but they must be stored in their school-assigned locker. I fully believe this expectation will continue to improve student concentration and performance.

A pressing topic nationwide is literacy in young students. Our district is heading into the second year of the Schoolwide reading program, which emphasizes reading, writing, grammar, handwriting, cursive and a balance of technology use in the formative K-5 settings.

Our middle school will continue to highlight great student leaders through the Caught Being Kind program, which celebrates students who are seen lending a helping hand around the building. Middle school administration is also asking students to remember FALCON spirit through Friendship, Acceptance, Leadership, Community, Optimism and being Nice.

The high school continues to offer engaging and career-focused classes and extracurriculars. I anticipate more exciting achievements and leadership in the classroom, on the stage, on the fields of play and in the community. The middle and high school learning environments have also seen upgrades through drop ceilings, improved classroom lighting, refurbished floors, enhancements to the auditorium’s acoustics and air conditioning in the band room.

We hope you stay connected with us this year through our ParentSquare communication system and social media accounts. Keep an eye out for information on Coffee with the Superintendent dates this fall. I am very excited to have a chance to speak with community members. I am looking forward to a successful year, and I thank you all for your continued support.

Sincerely,

Kristen Turnow, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools

Four members of the girls varsity lacrosse team were named to the 2025 New York State Sportswriters Association All-Star Team in August. Falcons Emery deLauzon, Tessa Matozzo, Katherine Nabet and Elizabeth Vitale were recognized as Class D Co-Players of the Year. The news caps off an amazing year for the team, who reached the county finals in June.

“To have four Falcons named to this all-star team and as co-players of the year, is a testament not only to their incredible talent, but also to the hard work, commitment and teamwork that defined this season,” athletic director Danielle Turner Cosci said. “Their leadership helped propel our program to new heights, and they represent the very best of Locust Valley athletics both on and off the field.”

The Locust Valley Central School District is sad to announce that a beloved member of the community, Cindy Tobin, passed away on Aug. 16. Tobin was a staple of the athletics programs as a long-time physical education teacher, scorekeeper, chaperone and a super fan.

Visiting hours are Aug. 19 and 20 from 5-9 p.m. at Whiting Funeral Home in Glen Head at 300 Glen Cove Avenue. The funeral service will be Thursday, Aug. 21, from 11-12 p.m. at Reformed Church of Locust Valley at 115 Ryefield Road, Locust Valley.

https://www.whitting.com/obituaries/cindy-tobin

Locust Valley Middle School student Jack Kelly and high school student Stella Fraser earned scholarships from the Joel Foundation, headed by the acclaimed Long Island musical artist Billy Joel and his wife Alexis, during the summer. Kelly, a pianist, and Fraser, a vocalist, were two of only 14 students to receive the scholarship that allowed them to attend the prestigious Long Island High School for the Arts’ Summer Arts Academy in July. The program invited Long Island’s most musically talented students to work with industry professionals to continue to grow as artists.

The Falcons are flocking back to the nest this week, as the football team held its first practice of the season on Aug. 18, and members of the baseball team continue to work on their fundamentals in the offseason. We look forward to seeing our athletes and fans back soon!