The Oyster Bay-East Norwich Board of Education celebrated student achievements, launching new community initiatives and spotlighting the district’s growing academic momentum at its April 21 meeting in the Oyster Bay High School auditorium.
Student representative Giovanna Lisa opened the meeting with an enthusiastic recap of recent school life. She highlighted the success of International Night and summarized the induction ceremonies for the National Honor Society, the Humanities National Honor Society and the Cavalcade of Choirs.
She also congratulated Rho Kappa, the district’s social studies honor society, on hosting its inaugural Social Studies Showdown.
Superintendent Ianni delivered an upbeat report on the state of the district, noting that academic performance has risen significantly in recent years, with school ratings and Advanced Placement scores both climbing considerably.
Ianni highlighted several recent and upcoming initiatives. The high school hosted its Breakfast of Engineers, an event that brought alumni and parents working in engineering fields into the building to share their career stories with current students.
On the heels of that event, Ianni announced the launch of the Oyster Bay Alumni Network, a new initiative designed to reconnect graduates with the district community. The network aims to connect alumni with current students as mentors and open doors to additional opportunities for both groups.
On the facilities front, Ianni reported that athletic fields across the district have been reseeded and manicured, and that a renovation of the sound system in the Oyster Bay High School gymnasium is currently underway, with completion expected by the end of the school year.
Looking ahead, Ianni noted that a Buddy Day program is scheduled for May 21, when sixth graders from Vernon Elementary will spend a full day at the high school to ease their transition ahead of fall.
The heart of the evening was a deep dive into the district’s mathematics and science programming, presented by OBMHS Principal Melissa Argaman and Assistant Principal Robert LoCastro. LoCastro recognized students who earned top scores on the American Mathematics Competition across three levels — AMC 8, 10 and 12 — honoring the district’s highest performers in each category.
Argaman then presented an overview of the district’s Science Research program, tracing its roots from foundational work in seventh-grade science classes and the Atlantis program through to its most advanced levels. Students in the program develop skills in data analysis and public speaking and begin competing in regional fairs as early as ninth grade. By senior year, participants are conducting and publishing original research at a college level.
Source: LI Press
