Floral Park-Bellerose Union Free School District is pleased to announce that John DeKams is the new principal at Floral Park-Bellerose School.
DeKams, a resident of Smithtown, officially joined the district on July 1. Previously, he served as an assistant principal at Hillside Elementary School in Hastings-on-Hudson, NY, since 2017. Through this role, he supervised all support staff, including teacher assistants, teacher aides and lunch monitors; provided instructional support to teachers in grades K-4 for various curriculums, including the school’s balanced literacy program, Eureka/Engage math modules and Fundations; and initiated and implemented the school’s first PBIS program, including assembling a team of staff members that met monthly to analyze behavioral data, developing schoolwide behavioral expectations and participating in various professional development opportunities to enhance the overall capacity of the group. His prior experience also includes roles as an assistant principal at Myers Corners Elementary School and as a sixth grade science teacher within the Autism Spectrum Disorders Nest Program at P.S./M.S. 206.
DeKams holds a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from the State University of New York at New Paltz, a Master of Science in Special Education from Long Island University and a Certification in School Building Leadership and School District Leadership from the College of Saint Rose.
Floral Park-Bellerose School’s Student Council members hosted a breakfast for essential workers in the community on June 11.
On the front lawn of the school, the Student Council set up a large table with a display of bagels, donuts, sandwiches and juices. They also decorated paper takeaway bags with messages of thanks to the frontline workers.
The Student Council raised funds for the breakfast by hosting a Hearts 2 Help schoolwide event, which invited students to decorate the school’s sidewalk with chalk hearts. Approximately $1,100 was raised, and the Student Council members wanted to use the funds to give back to the local community.
Any extra breakfasts were handed out to school staff and local community members.
John Lewis Childs School students in grades K-6 celebrated diversity with a fun, schoolwide end-of-year project called “It’s a Small World.”
Each grade was assigned a different region, and classes learned about a specific country within that region. They decorated the classroom doors and hallway bulletin boards to reflect their designated country. Students and their families were also encouraged to create artwork inspired by a different country, try a new recipe and record a demonstration, compile pictures from a cultural region into a photo essay and read a children’s book about another part of the world, among other activities.
The project culminated during the week of June 7, as the students walked around the building with replica passports and received a stamp or sticker for visiting each region. The goal of “It’s a Small World” was to promote an environment of kindness, acceptance and empathy.
Floral Park-Bellerose School students in grades K-3 participated in some friendly competition at the school’s outdoor Jr. Olympics on May 26.
Donned in matching classroom attire, the students joined on the field for a variety of relay races. The activities included races with fitness balls, balancing a beanbag on a foam paddle, finding a marble in a bucket of sand, pouring water from one cup to the next without spilling and more.
Principal Jamie Adams and Assistant Principal Dominique Siebert cheered on the students. Parents were also invited to attend and watch their children participate.
To wind down the school year in a fun way, John Lewis Childs School hosted Field Days for grades K-6, on May 24 and May 25.
Students participated in outdoor activities like relay races, cornhole, KanJam and a playground scavenger hunt. Classes were distinguished by designated colors, and many wore themed T-shirts that displayed their teacher’s name.
During Model UN on June 8, Floral Park-Bellerose School and John Lewis Childs School students interviewed Luis Isava, the special assistant to the Deputy Executive Director of UN Women. They prepared some questions for him in advance based on research that they had done during their sessions. His responses were insightful and age-appropriate, and the students really learned a lot. The Zoom meeting was organized by Ms. Matusewicz and Ms. Patwell from Floral Park-Bellerose School, and Ms. Saunders and Ms. Antonakis from John Lewis Childs School.
John Lewis Childs School sixth grader Rowan DeJean recently received a letter from Jeff Kinney, the author of the “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” book series. DeJean had written to Kinney, telling the author how much he enjoyed the books. In the letter, Kinney thanked DeJean for writing to him and said, “Letters like yours have been the fuel that’s kept me going.”
Proposition No. 1 – Floral Park-Bellerose School District Budget
Yes 1219; No 546
Proposition No. 2 – Establish Floral Park-Bellerose School District 2021 Capital Reserve
Yes 1276; No 475
Proposition No. 3 – Sewanhaka Central High School District Budget
Yes 1211; No 536
Proposition No. 4 – Establish Sewanhaka Central High School District 2021 Capital Reserve
Yes 1117; No 433
The vote for the School Board Trustees was as follows:
Seat of Douglas Madden
Douglas Madden 596 votes
Beth Kierez 1146 votes
Seat of Laura Ferone
Jaclyn O’Donohue 1248 votes
Amanda Talty 485 votes
Congratulations to Beth Kierez and Jaclyn O’Donohue.
Felicitaciones Beth Kierez y Jaclyn O’Donohue.
The Floral Park-Bellerose School District is extremely pleased to announce the implementation of a Full Day Pre-Kindergarten Program beginning in September 2021.
John Lewis Childs School fifth graders learned about animals and the environment in the annual “Grow with Me” program, sponsored by the Hance Family Foundation.
As part of the program, the students were treated to a virtual Nature Nick’s Animal Adventures show via Zoom. He showed the students a variety of animals, including a snake, falcon, rabbit, toucan and tortoise. They also decorated grocery bags to be given to the local Associated Food Store as part of a recycling exercise.
Additionally, the foundation provided each class with seeds for the students to plant and donated a lilac bush to the school.
John Lewis Childs School first grader Abigail Fox donated money to purchase pizza and soda for the construction staff working on the school’s extension on April 20.
“I thought it would be nice since they’re making the extension and working really hard,” she said. Along with delivering the pizza, Fox and her classmates sang to the workers.
Carolyn Cole, the forewoman on the job, said, “Abigail is already a very special little person. I cannot wait to see how special she will be as an adult.”
Students throughout the building celebrated Earth Day with crafts and remote activities!
Each year, the John Lewis Childs School Student Council hosts a Pennies for Patients program to help raise funds for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. The program, held virtually this year due to the pandemic, raised $7,341 for cancer research, patient education and support services, and advocacy efforts.
From March 8-17, students participated in various in-class activities and themed days. Each day, a video, STEM experiment or read-aloud was shared that connected to the program's core values and gave students a chance to understand who their fundraising will benefit. Themed dress-up days included Pajamas for Pennies on March 11, Be a Superhero on March 12 and Team Green on March 17.
Students were encouraged to complete acts of kindness or help around the house to earn donations, and parents entered the funds online.
The Floral Park Camol Clan #2438 First Lego League team competed and won an award at the remote School-Business Partnerships of Long Island, Inc. (SBPLI) Qualifying Tournament on March 13.
The team includes Floral Park-Bellerose School fifth graders Selwyn, Leo, Grace, Preston and Nicole; John Lewis Childs School fifth grader Parker; and Floral Park Memorial eighth graders Ainsley, Colin and Henry.
For this year’s theme, RePlay, teams were challenged to get people to be more active. The Floral Park team received the Engineering Excellence Award for their solution, which was developing an additional parental control app to be added to video game platforms that would add limits and have kids earn more playing time by completing exercises. The award recognizes an efficiently designed robot, an innovative project solution and great core values, as well as a team that effectively addressed the challenge.
The Camol Clan team is among one of 10 teams selected to proceed to the remote Long Island FIRST Lego League Championships on April 17.
Floral Park-Bellerose School fourth graders Nora and Christina were recognized as winners of the Junior Women’s Club of Bellerose Writing Contest. Nora’s poem and Christina’s story will move onto the next level of the competition, sponsored by the General Federation of Women’s Clubs.
Floral Park-Bellerose School first graders in Andrew Branca’s class discussed the importance of inclusion, equity and diversity after reading their grade’s book of the month, “Strictly No Elephants.”
For the in-class activity, the students were asked to enter themselves into the story and depict how they would react when the two main characters are left out. The goal of the lesson was to inspire the students to stand up for others.
Sixth graders at John Lewis Childs School participated in a virtual Junior Achievement program on Feb. 23.
Junior Achievement is an organization dedicated to giving students in grades K-12 the knowledge and skills they need to own their economic success, plan for their futures, and make smart academic and economic choices. Volunteers from the community deliver the Junior Achievement lessons and share their own personal experiences with students.
During the presentation, the Junior Achievement volunteer, a local financial adviser, discussed her job responsibilities and career path. She also went over a survey the students had completed that aimed to help them gauge their career interests based on potential work environments. The survey allowed students to consider careers as a baker, veterinarian, teacher, lawyer, salesperson, accountant and more.
The goal of the program was to inspire the students to explore their options through clubs or volunteer activities, as well as upcoming high school elective classes, and to eventually find a job that they love.
John Lewis Childs School raised more than $16,000 as part of its yearly Boosterthon fundraiser, sponsored by the PTA. This year, the culminating activity was a Dance Fit Challenge on Jan. 29.
The fundraiser took place over two weeks and kicked off with a Digital Pep Rally. Family and friends helped to raise funds by pledging for the students to participate in the Dance Fit Challenge, which was 35 minutes of straight dancing and yoga moves. The PTA purchased glow necklaces for each student and disco lights to enhance the atmosphere of the classrooms. Since the program was fully virtual this year, remote students were able to participate from home.
A relay race with Assistant Principal Kristina Lynch and other teachers was the students’ incentive to raise $12,000, and an ice cream party was their incentive to raise $15,000.
The funds raised will be used to help pay for programs and activities for the students.
Floral Park-Bellerose School second graders in Melissa Soldati’s class recently participated in an election.
After reading the books “Duck for President” and “Grace for President,” the students chose their favorite candidate and designed campaign posters that were presented to their classmates. The students registered to vote, received a voter registration card and cast their ballots in a mock polling booth. The votes were counted, and Grace won the election.
John Lewis Childs School fifth graders recently studied elements, compounds and molecules as part of the Inspire Science Curriculum with teachers Marianna Antonakis and Patricia Olson.
As a culminating project, students were asked to create a Google Slide about an element of their choice and a model of a compound, which would then be presented to the class. Students created models of water, salt and carbon dioxide, among others.
The assignment focused on the “elaborate” portion of the 5E model of Science Inquiry: Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate and Evaluate.
John Lewis Childs School kindergartners in Patricia Mancusi’s class recently read “Jack and the Beanstalk” by Mary Ann Hoberman. The students drew the ogre’s castle and taped the image to the top of their clear desk dividers. Then, they designed a beanstalk using various materials, such as blocks, cups, and Lego. When each student finished their beanstalk, they had action figures climb the beanstalk as “Jack.”
Floral Park-Bellerose School first graders in Megan White’s class recently created Valentine’s Day cards for Cards for Hospitalized Kids. The charitable organization delivers handmade cards to children in hospitals across the United States.
Floral Park-Bellerose School students from pre-K to sixth grade have been bringing in gifts for the annual toy drive for the Hance Family Foundation, held from Nov. 30-Dec. 17. The foundation will distribute the toys to children in need around Nassau County on behalf of the students.
Class 2C recently participated in a cause and effect activity for “The Bremen Town Musicians.”
On Nov. 6, John Lewis Childs School hosted its election for president and vice president of Student Council.
Students from kindergarten through sixth grade had the opportunity to listen to the candidates’ speeches and then cast their vote.
Aaminah Khondker was elected as president, and Roberto Salinas was elected as vice president.
Class 2B’s X-Rays
As part of their Halloween celebration, Class 2B at Floral Park-Bellerose School learn about the bones in their bodies. They wrapped up their lesson by making X-Rays of their hands!
Floral Park-Bellerose School first graders are budding artists during their lunch recess.
Outdoor Tents Pop Up at Floral Park-Bellerose School
Floral Park-Bellerose School students have been able to spend extra time outdoors during the school day due to the recent addition of tents.
The school currently has three tents, which teachers can sign up to utilize through Google Forms. Classes have been using the tents for outdoor classrooms, mask break locations, social time and more. The tents allow for additional time outside for the students, separate from their scheduled daily recess.
Reading in the Courtyard
Students at Floral Park-Bellerose School enjoy reading out in the fresh air of the courtyard! While outside and seated apart, they are also allowed to take mask breaks.
2020-2021 School Calendar and Handbook
Click here for the Student Handbook
Editor’s Note: Due to the pandemic, the calendar grids will be posted on a monthly basis.
Please click the CALENDAR link on the website.
The information contained in the
2020-21 calendar grids is subject to change. In addition, the information
contained in the text pages summarizes the District’s standard procedures.
For 2020-21, many items including hours of the school day,
tunnel hours, School Life Plus, programs and field trips will differ.
