Students in fifth and eighth grades celebrated milestones as they were promoted to the next stage of their education.

At Bayville Intermediate School and Locust Valley Intermediate School, students sang songs and listened to speakers commend them on their accomplishments and offer advice for a successful transition to middle school. 

Locust Valley Middle School eighth graders took to the stage in green graduation robes, reminisced about the three years they spent at the school and accepted their moving-up certificates with pride. Members of the chorus performed “This Is Me” from “The Greatest Showman.”

Board of Education members and administrators celebrated with students and families at each of the moving-up ceremonies.

The slideshows below includes highlights of each ceremony.

 

The Board of Education granted tenure to eight faculty members on June 6. These individuals were recognized at a reception during which administrators described how each of them had proven that they were making a difference in the Locust Valley Central District. 

Each tenure recipient spent years proving that they are worthy of becoming a permanent part of the LVCSD family. Their supervisors observed their professional practices over the years, ensuring that they performed their jobs in a manner that was considered superior. Their skills, relationships with others and willingness to learn were all factors that were considered when reviewing each candidate for their tenure appointment.

Acting Superintendent Dr. Carl Bonuso congratulated the honorees on this important milestone in their careers.

Congratulations to Jamie Cherkis, Locust Valley Middle School/High School Mathematics Teacher; Kimberly Derenthal, Ann MacArthur Primary School Teacher; Jaime DiRossi, Locust Valley Middle School/High School Science Teacher; Kristin Hordy, Locust Valley Elementary Schools Physical Education Teacher; Brian Kollar, Locust Valley Middle School Science Teacher; Toni Meliambro, Locust Valley Central School District Assistant Superintendent for Business Affairs and Human Resources; Alexander Moir, Locust Valley High School Foreign Language Teacher; and Michelle Villa, Locust Valley High School Assistant Principal.

Three Locust Valley High School seniors earned the Students Building Bridges Award from the Jewish Community Relations Council of Long Island at a ceremony held in May. Isabella Bernato, Sophie Matthaei and Adriana Trama were recognized for volunteering in the Locust Valley Middle School Life Skills classroom. 

Special education teacher Jessica Garrison, who runs the Life Skills program, said the girls have gone above and beyond to help the students in her program. “They selflessly give up their free periods and have shown great initiative,” she said. “They are wonderful role models for the students and leaders for the rest of the volunteers. It has been an absolute pleasure working with these wonderful individuals and seeing the joy that they bring to the class each and every day.”

The award was presented to the Locust Valley seniors during a program that served as a tribute to a Holocaust survivor. Individuals were recognized for their contributions to creating a better society.

Locust Valley Middle School sixth grader John Hartnett was the first Locust Valley student in the school’s history to advance to the National Geographic GeoBee New York State Competition. John first won the middle school competition, which earned him the opportunity to take an online qualifying test. John’s score on that test sent him to the state level of competition. He was among only 100 students competing from across the state, with only 23 of those students coming from Long Island.

John traveled to Albany earlier this year for the state competition, which required him to answer questions about geographical locations in the United States and across the world. Although John did not advance past the state level of competition, this sixth grader held his own against his competitors who were mostly eighth graders.

Congratulations, John and thank you for representing Locust Valley so well!