The Locust Valley High School stage band and chamber singers brought season’s greetings this week by performing classic Christmas and Hanukkah tunes at the Bayville and Locust Valley tree lightings on Dec. 3 and 6. The band and singers braved the pouring rain on both nights with the help of the Town of Oyster Bay bandshell in Bayville and the gazebo at Thomas Park in LV and introduced Santa riding in on local firetrucks.
It's Winter Concert season in Locust valley and Bayville! LVMS Sixth Grade kicks it off tonight at the MS/HS Auditorium at 7 p.m. Live stream available here: https://www.youtube.com/@locustvalleyhsfilmandtv7373.
A Locust Valley High School alumna is taking her talents to New York City in January. Locust Valley Jesters veteran Brooke Di Spirito (LVHS Class of 2018) is set to bring her musical adaptation F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel “The Beautiful and the Damned.” But that is just the start of her exciting 2023, as Di Spirito will travel to Sweden in late June to present at the F. Scott Fitzgerald Society Conference.
Di Spirito adapted the Fitzgerald novel into a musical over the course of three years while she worked toward her English degree at Northeastern University. The show was cancelled three times because of the pandemic but will finally make it to Manhattan on January 17 at the lounge 54 Below. The show debuted at the Jeanne Rimsky Theater in Port Washington in July.
“I totally freaked out,” DiSpirito said of finding out her show was picked up by 54 Below. “I was trying not to get my hopes up because I had reached out to about 90 venues over the few years, I got responses from three. I’m really flattered and shocked that professionals are going to perform in it and sing my songs.”
Di Spirito based her senior thesis at Northeastern on the Fitzgerald novel and convinced the school to put the show on in 2021, but the lingering pandemic prevented the show from going forward. After graduating and returning to New York, she continued to try to find a home for her show until finally getting the good news from 54 Below.
The 22-year-old has worn quite a few hats for the production including writer, lyricist and choreographer. Her love for the performing arts world started at an early age as a ballet dancer and continued into high school through her freshman English teacher Mr. Lynch’s class. There, Di Spirito wrote a dramatic monologue and performed it in front of her class. After that positive experience, Di Spirito requested to be in Mr. Lynch’s class for IB English and IB Philosophy.
“He was a mentor to me,” Di Spirito said. “I would show up with something that didn’t make a ton of sense and he would workshop it with me. I would bring my friends and we would stand on the stage in his classroom until something came out of it. He (Lynch) was always cheering us on.”
As a member of the Locust Valley Jesters, Di Spirito appeared in musicals “The Music Man,” “State Fair,” “Pippin” and “Les Misérables” and shows like “12 Angry Jurors” and “All I Needed to Know I Learned in Kindergarten.”
“I was not really much of a singer or an actress, but I was always recruited to help with the choreography on musicals,” Di Spirito said. “That led me into the plays and I was like ‘OK, maybe I’ll learn to act a little bit.’ There were a ton of opportunities to be involved and see how musicals worked.”
DiSpirito is not the only Locust Valley High School talent involved in the production. Beatrix and Griffin Postley (Class of 2020 and 2022) performed in the show in Port Washington, with Beatrix also serving as musical director and vocal arranger. Hans Kiessling (’20) and Brooke’s brother Michael DiSpritio (’20) both played in orchestra. Beatrix Postley, Kiessling and Michael DiSpirito will also help in the January show.
In Sept. 2022, DiSpirito received an email from at the F. Scott Fitzgerald Foundation. A professor who is part of the society told Di Spirito that he had seen her show and published a glowing review in the society’s newsletter. The editor of the newsletter then extended an invitation for Di Spirito to come to the conference in June and talk about her experience adapting the musical.
“I was very surprised and extremely flattered,” Di Spirito said. “When I started this, I was 19 and had no plans that anyone would see it. I thought maybe we would do it at my school and my friends would come see it.”
The responsibility of adapting the work of an author with an entire society based around them is not lost on Di Spirito, but she is looking forward to conversations that will come out of the show. Members of the society will be in attendance when the show hits the stage next month.
Join the Locust Valley CSD team! Go to https://www.locustvalleyschools.org/page/human-resources-appr to learn more.
Join the Locust Valley CSD team! Go to https://www.locustvalleyschools.org/page/human-resources-appr to learn more.
On Dec. 5, Locust Valley High School welcomed New York State Supreme Court Justice Timothy Driscoll and Nassau County Family Court Judge Colin O’Donnell to speak to juniors and seniors about civics and career opportunities.
Justice Driscoll and Judge O’Donnell, residents of Locust Valley and Bayville, discussed freedom of speech, Miranda rights, teenage impact on voting and careers in the court system.
The district was happy to have these local leaders provide their experience and expertise to its students.
Locust Valley Intermediate’s class 3CG held a Writing Celebration on Nov. 30 where students showed their parents books they wrote and assembled. The celebration was the culmination of the class’ first writing unit in which Ms. Gauck and Mrs. Carrara taught students about the writing process.
The Locust Valley Falcons had a fantastic showing at the Nassau County Girls Soccer Coaches Association awards dinner on Nov. 28. Senior forward Payton Tini was named All-County and a Senior Scholar Athlete. Tini also took home the Sue Link Memorial Scholarship Award which goes to a senior who demonstrates high academic achievement, exceptional athletic ability and an overall commitment to excellence.
Sophomore forward/midfielder Angelica Sheehan and junior defender Heather Loeffler were named All-County Honorable Mentions. Sophomore forward Katie Nabet and eighth grade defender Lillian DeNatale took home All-Conference honors.
Locust Valley SEPTA is sponsoring a screening of “Avatar: The Way of Water” at the AMC Glen Cove on Dec. 17. Doors open at 12:30 p.m. and the movie starts at 1 p.m. Tickets are on sale now for $20 per person at https://saturday-afternoon-movie.cheddarup.com/ and door tickets will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis. Contact Corinna Creedon with any questions at 917-837-6986.
Several young musicians from Locust Valley Intermediate and Bayville Intermediate took part in the Nassau Music Educators Association’s Parents Educators and Kids (PEAK) festival on Nov. 19. LVI students Henry Gianastasio, Fallyn Gorham, Jennah Hassan, Nicholas Karousas, Stavros Pasztor and Tenley Walsh and BI students Michaela Blough, Charlotte Merten and Isabella Skelly participated in workshops throughout the day, culminating in a final performance to prepare them as future All-County musicians.
In anticipation of Thanksgiving, Bayville Primary and Bayville Intermediate put on creative and informative classroom exercises last week. Mrs. Fassari’s class sailed tin foil Mayflower ships with marshmallow pilgrim passengers and animal cracker pets to Plymouth Rock. Meanwhile, the fourth grade at Bayville Intermediate learned about Native American culture, getting hands-on experience with their clothes, tools, art and more.
Scenes from the Thanksgiving celebrations at Ann MacArthur Primary, Bayville Primary and Bayville Intermediate today.
Join the LVCSD team as a substitute teacher! Go to https://www.locustvalleyschools.org/page/human-resources-appr to learn more or apply online at http://olasjobs.org/.
Here are some behind-the-scenes shots of the dedicated cast and crew of “The One-Act Play That Goes Wrong” presented by the Locust Valley Jesters. Get tickets to the Saturday and Sunday shows at https://www.showtix4u.com/event-details/68861.
Locust Valley High School seniors Jack Baker and Payton Tini were named Heisman High School Scholarship School Winners on Nov. 2. The football and lacrosse stars balanced school and sports, surpassing the 3.0 GPA required for consideration.
Throughout October, Locust Valley and Bayville schools had containers placed at their entrances inviting students to donate socks to local organizations that will support families in need. On Nov. 4, school social worker Bidania Criscuolo announced that district students donated 885 pairs of socks to The People’s Pantry in Oyster Bay, The Village Church of Bayville, St. Gertrude’s Church in Bayville and St. Patrick’s Church of Glen Cove.
Four distinguished Locust Valley High School athletes announced their commitments to college on Nov. 10. Seniors Payton Tini, Olivia Del Tatto, Christian Corey and Charles Dickman will continue their student-athlete journeys at Rutgers University, Vassar College, St. Peter’s University and Rome City, respectively. Tini, Del Tatto and Dickman will play lacrosse and Corey will play baseball.
Locust Valley and Bayville schools paid respects to our brave men and women of the United States armed forces today across all six schools in the district. Students performed patriotic songs and got to speak with veterans about their experiences.
Locust Valley Middle and High School students have a new place to refuel after school, as the LV Café opened on Nov. 7. Located at the high school store, the café provides affordable snacks and drinks for students and student-athletes after school hours.
On Nov. 9, local veterans and several members of Bayville’s American Legion Post 1285 came to Locust Valley High School to share their experiences with students. The district will commemorate Veterans Day on Thursday with ceremonies at each school to thank servicepeople for their service.
