In Long Island, New York, the students have plenty of options to choose from where athletics are concerned. The choices will vary from area to area, and is based on the district that the student is enrolled in. Students in the East Rockaway area of Long Island get to choose football if that is what they would like to participate in. They also have a choice of cheerleading, girls and boys cross-country, golf, girls and boys soccer, and volleyball. The choices are plentiful.

If Long Island students are so inclined, they can participate in more than one sport during the school year. But are there benefits for these students that participate in multiple sports? There are actually numerous benefits and they are all equally beneficial to the students involved.

Playing a team sport helps Long Island school children develop physically. It helps them to develop better motor skills or how well their bodies move and react to direct stimuli. And it isn’t just the physical benefits that Long Island students get from multiple sports involvement. They learn how to think on their feet, how to interact with others, and how to contribute to a team effort. However, the key benefit is that they are having fun in the actual participation and they realize that they are getting physically fit in the process. Not only that, but they are more capable of dealing with and avoiding negative or violent activities.

Finally, the Long Island students are less likely to be what is referred to as a “couch potato.” In the process, they are avoiding drug and gang involvement as well as gaining more than just an education. They are learning how to play the game and that is the biggest benefit of them all.

]]> http://nyschools.wordpress.com/2008/09/16/variety-of-athletic-choices-offered-in-long-island-schools/feed/ 0 nyschools http://nyschools.wordpress.com/2008/09/01/the-vclc-has-been-investing-in-children-and-families/ http://nyschools.wordpress.com/2008/09/01/the-vclc-has-been-investing-in-children-and-families/#comments Mon, 01 Sep 2008 18:08:54 +0000 nyschools http://nyschools.wordpress.com/?p=12 ]]> Since 1966, the VCLC (Variety Child Learning Center) has been accommodating and helping children (and their families) with autism, behavioral, language, and learning problems. The center was established when Jusith S. Bloch, a social worker in Garden City, opened her first class with only six students in 1966. As part of her new and innovative approach to behavioral and learning problems, Judith involved parents in the assessment and remediation phases of her programs.

When Judith established her school in 1966, there were no facilities of its type anywhere in the United States. It was referred to as a Pre-Schoolers Workshop and was called the PSW Program. In 1977, the school re-located to Syosset, and in 1981, the school purchased public school building and the property at 47 Humphrey Drive where the main facility still sits today. This is where all the on-site programs are located but there are off-site programs as well since the focus is Nassau and Suffolk Counties, as well as the Long Island community.

In 1983, the name was changed to the Variety Pre-Schooler’s Workshop (VPSW) in recognition of an endowment granted to the center by Variety — a children’s charity. The family center was then established for the purposes of recreation and socialization for children with disabilities in the 4 to 12 age group. It was also designated for their siblings and parents to be a part of the programs for the children.

In 1988, the Nassau County Regional Planning Group (RPG), a parent/professional coalition, was formed for the purpose of developing recommendations for a statewide program that targeted early intervention programs and services for children with handicaps (ages birth to three years) and their parents. That same year, the National Family Resource Center selected the VPSW as a model program and recommended that the program be replicated on a nationwide level.

Five years later (1993) the center introduced the Special Education Itinerant Program for Teachers (SEIT) on Long Island in order to provide services for children with disabilities that were in nursery schools, child-care sites, and foster homes. In 1995, the center received a Kresge Foundation Challenge Grant, and constructed a new wing on the facility. In 1997, the NYS department of Education designated the VPSW as a Developer/Demonstrator for New York State.

Finally, in 2000, in order to better reflect the expanse of the facility’s programs and services for children, parents, and professionals, the name was changed to the Variety Child Learning Center.

Not only do they provide special education programs, but there are support services as well. Much research is done on an ongoing basis to assist in the training of personnel. A unique format of parental involvement is recommended as parents and professionals alike are considered partners in the program, thus encouraging their involvement in the mix. The VCLC staff is 420 members strong, which the following personnel:

• Special education teachers
• Assistant teachers
• Occupational and speech therapists
• Psychologists
• Social workers
• Nurse
• Over 80 volunteers
• Graduate and undergraduate interns

They also provide services and programs off-site as well as at the center itself. The programs offered by the VCLC are provided free of charge to families with the exception of a few after-school programs. Some of the programs they offer are:

• Early Intervention for infants and toddlers
• inclusionary programs in local nursery schools
• childcare centers
• special education preschool and kindergarten classes evaluations
• Sunday respite care
• skills training groups

The VCLC’s success with children that have developmental and educational issues is well documented and recently the New York State Education Department designated the VCLC’s Home School Collaborative Model as one of the best of its kind. The studies have shown that when children who have developmental disabilities (even autism) enter the program at the age of 2 or 3, that they show marked signs of improvement after only 15 months in the program. Also worthy of note is that the VCLC operates the only validated preschool special education program on Long Island.

The VCLC as well as all of its programs and services has been approved by the NYS Department of Health to not only perform evaluations, but to provide special educational needs and early intervention services for children who are from birth to three years of age. It is also chartered by the Board of Regents of the State of New York.

• a pre-kindergarten to first grade school
• an elementary school with first to fifth grade
• a second elementary school with second to fifth grade
• a middle school with sixth to eighth grade
• a high school

The school district primarily serves Long Island’s north shore area of the Long Island School District and has an enrollment of roughly 3,500 students, a heavy population by any standards. The Long Island School District and specifically the Roslyn Free School District has a strong commitment to preparing its students for life in the 21^st century.

All of the students in the Roslyn Union Free School District from kindergarten through 12^th grade receive computer education and training. For the past 24 years, the Intel Science Talent Search has selected students from Roslyn and they have had a student in the semi-finals every one of those years.

The school district also promotes programs for science application in the real world. The district also continually searches for additional or outside funding to keep their programs operating and promoting their students. One of the funding sources is called F.A.S.T. or the Foundation for the Advancement of Student Technology.

F.A.S.T. is a non-profit organization that works in close cooperation with the school district itself and works continually to enhance the school district’s science and technology programs. Additionally, they also work to create and then strengthen relationships with the school district, the local businesses and the Long Island community. Employing a number of different fund-raisers, F.A.S.T. strives to raise funds to keep the program going. They also promote numerous technological events as well. As a result of their efforts, they have raised over $150,000 for computer and technology education programs.

The Annual Golf and Tennis Classic which happens every June is just one of their many fundraisers and probably the most successful one of the bunch. For the past five years, F.A.S.T. has used this fundraiser to fund and support their computer projects and their technology education programs. The day-long tournament includes brunch, lunch, cocktails, a full-course dinner, and a silent auction.

When special education students attend standard classes with their fellow students and peers, the Board of Education experiences a significant cost savings. Suffice it to say, no matter what Long Island parents want for their children in the way of a decent education, there are only so many education dollars to go around.

In the past, these students with special needs were always denied access into mainstream education channels. Conversely, regular students within the mainstream never had a chance to interact with them or have the opportunity to get to know them. Because the regular students didn’t understand them, the special needs students often became the subject of suspicion and/or ridicule. All the regular students knew was that these other students were “different.” And at that point in time, being different was never a cause for celebration.

The human instinct is to distrust or be suspicious of what they don’t understand, so any measure that is taken in order to help these students be more understood and tolerated is a good measure. Mainstreaming only helps to enforce delineation between the terms of “Us” and “Them”, as well as enhance the educational environment overall.

The bottom line is that the Long Island Schools and the New York education system are trying to ensure that these special students don’t fall through the cracks, so to speak. Obviously, it would be a tragedy if these special students who need to be in a different environment in order to perform at their best academic level, were denied that privilege for the sake of a few dollars. Officials and parents should not be too quick to segregate these students from the regular student population.

What is often overlooked is the fact that our children are our most precious resource whether they have special needs or not. They are still human beings with the same rights to a formal education. And it

The award honors excellence in the following student areas:

• Academics
• Artistry
• Citizenship
• Leadership

Last year, the two students earned high scores on the ACT and SAT. Their efforts on the two exams were followed up with letters of recommendation, transcripts, and a two-page essay on an influential person. They were both selected from a field of 3,000 other students.

Slatky’s essay was on Ralph Nader and his five attempts at being elected as President of the US. Slatky also earned perfect scores on the ACT and SAT exams. Slatky also discussed a particular research project of his wherein the political persuasion of a person can be determined by asking them a series of only 10 questions in survey form. Questions involve topics like illegal immigration and stem cell research.

Lisann on the other hand named the research director at her high school as her most influential person. Lisann went with three other students and the research director, Chrysi Notskas, to the island of Cyprus to study neurology. Lisann was also the high school’s valedictorian. She was also one of 80 students who attended the Research Science Institute at MIT. Her essay on the effect of dyslexia genes on the development of the brain got her voted as one of the program’s top students.

Lisann was also a finalist in the Intel Science Talent Search and was also a finalist in the Siemens Competition. She has stated that she is planning on studying cognitive science at Yale University in the fall. Slatky has stated that he will attend Princeton University. Both of the students will be honored in a ceremony in Washington, D.C. and they will also meet President George W. Bush.

For the Long Island community, this was truly an honor for not only the two students, but their parents, the school district, and the state Board of Education. It is a true testimony to the school district’s commitment to science and technology as well as the overall education of every child in the Long Island community.

There is also the school of thought that says if a student knows that the gym class won’t carry that much weight, they are less apt to put forth the effort necessary to pass the course. Additionally, it isn’t just a matter of not trying as hard to pass the course, it’s also a matter of the student not doing their physical health any good by not exercising or participating in any of the sports that are involved in the courses.

As a result of the conflicts, the Long Island area schools have decided to try and strike a middle ground with the issue. There is a recommendation that the students be allowed to decide weight factor of the physical education courses. As it stands, the decision will only affect students in grades six through nine, therefore not affecting any of the high school students in the process. In the Suffolk County District, 24 out of 60 schools, or 40% have decided to handle the situation in this manner. This is being done primarily to address the needs of the students.

Parents have actually signed petitions for the grade to affect the GPA in numerical fashion rather than as just a pass/fail mark which relegates the class to little or no academic value. It has been a matter of striking a balance between making the physical education curriculum the most effective for the students while at the same time standardizing it for grading purposes.

The New York State Standards for Physical Education was caught up in the issue as well claiming that the new standard have very clear aims and objectives for establishing a true academic measurement versus just the pass/fail mark which is an all encompassing type of grade carrying little or no weight academically. In this scenario, actual grades for accomplishing certain tasks would be given rather than the pass/fail marks that have currently been the norm.

Recent surveys have shown that some Long Island students are desirous of becoming anything from beauticians to welders. Unfortunately, there are two Long Island schools that are suffering with such drastic cutbacks in education monies that students are being forced away from the education that they are so desirous of. The Patchogue-Medford school district and a part of Suffolk County, NY are the two areas experiencing these drastic educational cutbacks.

As a result of these cutbacks, entering into a vocational trade or even self-employment is beginning to look extremely attractive. However, these students are feeling some discouragement along the way as well. Many of these students are experiencing barriers to their aspirations and are being blocked from receiving the appropriate training that they need to achieve their goals. Despite New York State Board of Education regulations entitling the teens to such vocational programs, the two systems mentioned above have already notified approximately 60% of their students that it can no longer afford to enroll them in the BOCES (Board of Cooperative Educational Services) courses this fall.

At a recent monthly board meeting involving parents, students, and the Patchogue-Medford school district Board Members, the cutbacks were discussed at great length. Understand that these cutbacks were not just in effect for the Long Island schools but was for the entire state of New York in general. One of the students was actually quoted as asking the state education board officials in attendance, “Don’t you realize that you are taking this away from the students?” There was no response to her question.

Additionally, she also brought up the fact that education administrators received fairly healthy raises in the ensuing fiscal budget. And again there was no response to the student’s comment. As it currently stands, the state board of education is remaining firm in their stance regarding the BOCES cutbacks.

Long Island was originally inhabited by Delaware and Montauk Indians. The Plymouth Company settled the island and gave it its name in 1635. Even though it soon became part of the Dutch West India Company, English settlers continually came to the island and founded numerous communities there, including Southampton and Hempstead. In 1650 Long Island was divided in two with the west half going to the Dutch and the east half to the English.

Control of Long island continually changed hands during the period that followed. In 1664 it was given to King James the Second. In 1683 the island was divided into counties such as Kings, Queens, and Suffolk. With the start of the American Revolution, the ownership of Long Island was aggressively disputed among the loyalists and revolutionaries. Because of its location and natural resources, the island played an important strategic location during the war so it was under contestant attack. In fact, the Battle of Long Island was the first battle of the 1776 Revolutionary war.

After the war, Long Island became a successful center of commerce due to its being so close to New York City. The Long Island railroad, completed in 1844, allowed New York to better conduct trade with the island. As Long Island’s infrastructure grew, bridges and highways were built which improved its trade relations and allowed others to tap into their industries which included whaling, farming, and fishing. The Long Island expressway even further improved the island’s trade and played a large factor in its growth.

Long Island became an important industrial center when it began to manufacture aircraft and electrical equipment. After World War II, the state became part of experimental suburban residential housing. These developments were started by William Levitt in 1947 who had 17,447 houses built in Levittown. The two famous airports, La Guardia and Kennedy International, were built on the western end of the island. The Hamptons, on the fat East side of the Island, are well known as vacationing destinations for wealthy individuals.

Over the last four years, Long Island area schools have been an exception to that rule in that they have been showing continual signs of improvement in standards. Recent New York state report cards are showing that the quality of education is better in the Long Island schools since that is the academic measure that is used to gauge how well the education system is performing.

In the past, it was noted that over 30 of the Long Island schools did not measure up to New York education requirements. As a result of the “No Child Left Behind Act”, these 30+ schools have no begun to show continual signs of improvement according to the Long Island and New York education system’s standards. Of major interest are the reasons that are being cited for this lack in the quality of education in the area.

The poor quality standards of education for Special Education students was cited as one of the chief reasons for the substandard grade that the Long Island area schools received and was touted as being directly responsible for the failure of the system in general. But the question is now being raised why, in the 21^st century is this particular state’s education system and the Long Island schools just now realizing that Special Ed students need extra attention?

For the sake of example, Special Education students are those students with certain learning disabilities such as dyslexia. These particular Long Island students must have that special training in order to meet those regulations and standards that are mandated by the New York education system as well as the Long Island schools themselves. The issue, however, is not that Special Education students are unable to meet the standards set forth by the state of New York and the Long Island education system. But they do need special attention in order for them to learn in an equivalent fashion.

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