Locust Valley Middle and High School students and staff donned costumes, decorated their classrooms and created fun games and activities to host local trick or treaters after school on Oct. 24 for the annual Safe Halloween celebration.
The costumed trick or treaters went to over a dozen classrooms, each with its own theme and activity, with candy bags that middle and high school students helped them customize with stickers and markers. The guests were greeted with such exciting sights as roving robots delivering sweets courtesy of the school’s robotics club and a science lesson on how to create spooky fog from teacher Louis DeRose.
The middle and high schools celebrated homecoming spirit week from Oct. 21-25 with themed dress-up days such as Biker vs. Surfer, Crocs and Crazy Socks, Falcon Friday, Pink Day and Western Day.
After participating in those exciting themed-days, middle and high school students and staff celebrated their athletes with pep rallies at Fred Smith Field on Oct. 24 and 25, respectively. During these rallies, the student bodies enjoyed performances from the chamber singers, the pep band, the cheerleading and kickline teams. Each athlete had their moment of recognition, running through the beautiful inflatable LV Falcons arch, provided by our amazing high school parents council, as their names were called.
At the high school pep rally, the homecoming court was announced, with juniors Aidan Russo and Evie Bergman as the prince and princess and seniors Joseph Hataier and Katie Kuebler as king and queen.
Then on Saturday, students enjoyed the homecoming festivities and a huge 13-8 win by the varsity football team.
The Locust Valley Falcons celebrated a victorious themed homecoming weekend, Oct. 25-26, that capped off a week of incredible festivities.
The fun began with Friday’s pep rally that pumped up students and staff for Saturday’s football game against the Malverne Mules. School spirit was on full display during the parade that showcased the artistic creativity of each class through their intricately designed Western-themed floats as they cruised through Bayville and Locust Valley. The party continued at Fred Smith Field, where the cheerleading, kickline and football teams all celebrated their senior days.
Once the homecoming events concluded, all eyes were on the football team as they continued to battle for a playoff spot. Wide receiver Kyle Demosthene hauled in two touchdowns from quarterback Connor Geertgens and the defense made a crucial fourth down and inches stop in the waning moments of the fourth quarter –securing a 13-8 victory.
From the pep rally, to the parade and all of the festivities on gameday, including a visit from the high school’s Class of 1974, the community once again made homecoming day an amazing celebration of its athletes and a showcase of its school spirit.
On Oct. 22, Ann MacArthur Primary School students took a short field trip over to the Locust Valley Fire Department headquarters to learn fire safety techniques and how these hometown heroes do their jobs. Students got a look at the tools, gear and trucks firefighters and emergency medical services use to help those in need. They were also able to use the fire hose to put out a mock fire.
On Oct. 23, volunteer firefighters visited AMP to give the pre-K students a tour of their truck and gifted them with LVFD helmets.
Thank you to the LVFD for teaching our students these important fire safety lessons!
Last week, Locust Valley and Bayville got into the autumn season with the Halloween Howl and Fall Fair, respectively.
The Fall Fair had a great turnout at Ann MacArthur Primary School, with students playing in inflatable bouncy castles and obstacle courses, enjoying face painting, dancing and snacking on cotton candy, pizza and popcorn provided by the Locust Valley Elementary Parents Council.
During the Halloween Howl at Bayville Intermediate School, students dressed in their best costumes, danced, played games and ate delicious desserts provided by the Bayville Elementary Parents Council.
Thank you to our wonderful parents and staff for making Friday a great start to the Halloween season.
This Saturday, Oct. 26, marks the Locust Valley High School homecoming game. The parade will assemble at 11:10 a.m. at Centre Island Beach and starts at 12 p.m. The parade will travel through Bayville Avenue., Bayville Road, Buckram Road, Weir Lane and Horse Hollow Road and finish at the high school’s Fred Smith Field. Make sure you are down at the field early for the senior day ceremony before the Falcons take on the Malverne Mules at 2 p.m. For more information, please go to https://locustvalleycsdny.sites.thrillshare.com/o/lvhs/article/1823879.
Ann MacArthur Primary School and Locust Valley Middle School each held programs last week to promote positive social media and technology use.
At AMP, librarian Devon Gallagher taught students strategies on how to disconnect from their computers, phones and video games through strategies such as reading, setting screen time limits and going outside. She then brought students out to the garden in the recess yard to identify which types of flowers they saw using paper binoculars they made in class.
At the middle school, Principal Cestaro and Superintendent of Schools Dr. Kristen Turnow spoke to students at an assembly about the critical importance of creating a safe environment for learning. Students were reminded that their words online or in person carry meaning and that loose or careless speech can lead to serious consequences that can follow them into their futures.
Superintendent of Schools Kristen Turnow and Middle School Principal Michael Cestaro traveled to Manhattan on Oct. 22 for the New York State School Board Association's annual conference to present on how going cell phone free has had a positive effect on students and school environment in the district.
The Locust Valley Central School District is now hiring for both instructional and non-instructional roles. These roles include certified teacher assistant, teacher aide, school monitor, substitute bus driver, school nurse, certified substitute teacher, food service helper and more.
You can apply now by emailing a resume and cover letter to hr@locustvalleyschools.org. Jobs are also posted on www.olasjobs.org.
Tickets are now on sale for the Locust Valley High School Jesters’ production of “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child” on Nov. 22 and 23 at 7 p.m. each night. Tickets are $10 each and can be purchased online at https://cur8.com/schedule/item/39980/337486?event=126203&date=337486 or by scanning the QR code on the poster.
The District hosted its ninth annual Bilingual Night on Wednesday, Oct. 16. Dozens of families filled the middle/high school cafeteria to get reacquainted with friends and colleagues, eat incredible meals and desserts that represent each culture, and learn important new information about the district. Parents heard about the exciting things happening in Locust Valley from Superintendent of Schools Kristen Turnow and were taught how to navigate Parent Portal and the district website by student representatives. K-12 students had the chance to see their favorite teachers and principals from throughout the district. District interpreter Cyndy Ergen once again brought several community organizations together to partake in the event and provide raffle baskets.
Locust Valley High School’s Interact Club and student government sent several boxes of aid items to those affected by Hurricane Helene on Oct. 11.
Middle and high school families came together to provide important supplies, such as clothes, diapers and formula for those in dire need after the devastating storm.
“I am so proud to be part of a school community that so clearly cares for those in need,” Locust Valley High School Principal Patrick DiClemente said. “An act of kindness like this again demonstrates the huge hearts among our students, staff and families.”
The district will host the first Bilingual Night of the year tomorrow, Oct. 15, at 7 p.m. in the high school cafeteria. All district families are invited to celebrate Hispanic cultures, learn about school resources such as parent portal and our new communication platform Parent-Square, wear your Falcon green and enjoy food and desserts from each of the unique cultures represented in our community. Together we are stronger as a Falcon Family.
Locust Valley Middle and High School students used their artistic abilities to depict their Italian American heritage as part of a poster contest. Middle schoolers Hudson DiMasi-Costaldo, Eva Jaszczuk and Quinn VanderMass and high schoolers Toby Lamb, Vito Ricciardi and Cristina Villella were named winners of their respective contests for their incredible works, which utilized famous Italian icons, expressions and landmarks.
Many Locust Valley Middle School students started off the year right by performing random acts of kindness for classmates and staff. Sophia Acosta, Kawaun Adams, Giavanna Ballato, Sarah Calo, Jack Capobianco, Michael Grella, Jayson Harrison, Micaela Mejia, Jayden Nicoleau, Christos Pappas, Jack Pouey, Matteo Santoro, Anderson Soto Castro, Eloise Spruchise, Zakary Szerlip and Jesalin Velasquez were recognized as part of the first edition of the Caught Being Kind program for the 2024-25 school year. The students were noticed by staff for acts such as helping students pick up their belongings, making new classmates feel welcomed, helping students better understand assignments and cleaning up classrooms for their teachers.
Join the Locust Valley Central School District team, and you can gain valuable experience while creating a positive atmosphere for our amazing students. We are now hiring for a wide array of positions. Applicants can apply online www.olasjobs.org and send a cover letter, resume and two professional references to HR@locustvalleyschools.org.
After a few weeks of school, Locust Valley Central School District students from grades pre-K to 5 learned more about their classmates with themed days during Start with Hello Week from Sept. 23-27.
Throughout the week, students showcased their individuality and discovered common ground to make new friends. On Monday, students wore name tags around their schools and were encouraged to say hello to as many people as possible. Students wore rainbow colors and tie-dye on Tuesday to represent the gamut of emotions we experience throughout life. For Mix It Up Wednesday, students wore mismatched, backward or inside-out clothing. Thursday was Jersey Day where students wore the jerseys of their favorite teams to represent teamwork and cooperation. To close out the week, students celebrated Falcon Friday by wearing green or Locust Valley gear to show off their school pride.
The Locust Valley Central School District may not be hosting the Remembrance Bowl, a game meant to commemorate paratroopers who fought to liberate France during World War II, again this year, but it is still keeping the mission on passing the history of those soldiers to the next generation.
Through the week of Sept. 23, Locust Valley educators continued to build on last year’s lessons with presentations from war re-enactors from France and class activities to help students understand the bravery of the men who liberated Europe.
At the elementary school level, students learned about the meaning behind symbols such as the poppy flower. Christine Arthur and Margaret McDermott’s fifth grade class at Bayville Intermediate School created parachutes and attached them to action figures to try to simulate the airborne units that played a huge role in the liberation of Europe. Middle and high schoolers attended assemblies during which Helen Patton of the Patton Foundation, Jeff Wells of the veteran organization Walk Among Heroes, Cathy Souref of Operation Democracy and French representative of the group Friends of the American Veterans screened “The Sixth of June,” and answered questions about the struggles Allied troops encountered on D-Day. High school art students met and discussed their storytelling projects with Korean artist Jeongmin Kim, who attended the 80th D-Day commemoration in France and created illustrations for Walk Among Heroes. Film students met with filmmaker Doug Stapleton and writer Jeff Stoffer, who created the book and film “The Mother of Normandy: The Story of Simone Renaud.”
The district is excited to continue this tradition of World War II education and to be a part of living history with involvement in the Remembrance Project as it spreads throughout Long Island and beyond.
Families flocked to Bayville Primary School to celebrate the annual Fall Fair on Sept. 27. Children partook in games and activities such as basketball shooting, scarecrow building and pumpkin decorating and enjoyed tasty candy and treats provided by the Bayville Elementary Parents’ Council.
Locust Valley High School welcomed guest speaker and author Ed Gerety on Sept. 26 to impart his wisdom and life lessons to students. During the assembly, Gerety spoke about how we never fully know what our peers are going through and to be kind to one another both in our personal and online interactions.
“There are consequences that come with certain choices that don’t just last a week, a month or a year, but forever,” Gerety said. “As John Austin once said, ‘We have the freedom to choose, but we do not have the freedom of consequence.’”
