Seasoned superintendent Marlon Small appointed at the May 14 board meeting

The Elmont Union Free School District Board of Education is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Marlon C. Small as the new superintendent of schools, following an extensive and rigorous selection process that spanned several months and involved collaboration with the community and assistance from the search firm School Leadership LLC. Mr. Small will begin his tenure as superintendent on July 1.

“The Elmont School Board went through a rigorous process to identify our next leader, which included gathering input from our community and various other stakeholder groups in the school district,” Board of Education President Nancy Garlick said. “We worked diligently to vet all candidates, and Mr. Small excelled in every step of the process. I am confident that under Mr. Small's guidance and leadership, we will work in tandem in the best interest of Elmont's scholars, school administrators, teachers and staff, as well as our community.”

Added Mr. Small, “I am looking forward to joining the Elmont school community and to working collaboratively with the board, administrators, teachers, staff, parents and students to continue the district’s tradition of educational excellence for all its students.”

Mr. Small is an accomplished educator with extensive experience in educational leadership. He currently serves as the superintendent of schools for the Greenport Union Free School District, a position he has held for the last four years. Prior to his appointment in Greenport in 2020, Mr. Small served as the assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction for the South Country Central School District from 2017 to 2020.

Throughout his career, Mr. Small has made significant contributions to education. He began as a student teacher in the Huntington School District and later taught fourth grade. His leadership journey continued as he served as dean of students and eventually became the principal of an elementary building, a role he held for 11 years. In 2017, he transitioned to the position of assistant superintendent in South Country.

As the assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction, Mr. Small collaborated with the district’s seven building principals and department directors. Together, they adopted new instructional resources, provided robust professional development programs for faculty and staff, supervised and evaluated instructional practices, and implemented the district’s strategic plan to address the academic, social and emotional needs of students.

Under Mr. Small’s leadership in Greenport, the district has achieved significant milestones. New math, science and Spanish instructional resources have been adopted. An introductory foreign language program was implemented in the elementary school, and the special education program was expanded. Additionally, programs were put in place to support students’ social and emotional well-being.

Mr. Small holds a bachelor’s degree in American studies from SUNY Old Westbury, a master’s degree in elementary and special education from Adelphi University, and a professional diploma in educational administration and supervision from Dowling College.

Outside of work, Mr. Small enjoys spending weekends traveling with his children, exploring new cuisines, and creating lasting memories with them.

Date Added: 5/14/2024

Stewart Manor School fifth graders in Vanessa Buchanan and Cari Clementi’s class are currently working on a science project-based learning (PBL) about space.

PBL involves students working on a project for an extended period that answers a driving question. The students’ driving question was: “How can you survive on another planet in our solar system?”

Split into heterogeneous groups, the students were tasked with selecting a planet or moon to settle on. The groups selected Mars, one of Jupiter’s moons Ganymede, one of Mars’ moons Phobos, one of Saturn’s moons Titan and dwarf planet Ceres. Throughout the PBL, students researched their planet or moon, as well as came up with ideas on how to cope with challenges such as food, water, shelter, oxygen and communication methods.

The PBL encompasses research, creativity, collaboration and presentation. It is a cross-curriculum project, as well, as the students utilized ENL books to research the solar system, space, and the planets and moons. To culminate the project, the groups will create 3D models of their how people would survive on their chosen planet or moon. The students plan to present their Keynote slides and 3D models to parents on May 21.

Date Added: 5/7/2024

Dutch Broadway School students in pre-K through second grade recently gathered to honor Earth Day through song.

The assembly began with Assistant Principal Brendan Alfieri reciting the poem, “Our Earth is Special.” Following the poem, Principal Cynthia Qasim asked the students to think of ways to keep the planet clean.

Through their music lessons with Ms. Stark and Ms. Yaeger, the students prepared for the assembly by practicing multiple songs that celebrate the Earth or focus on nature. The students sang “The Earth is Our Mother,” “Baby Beluga,” “This Land is Your Land,” “Inch by Inch,” and “Woodland Chorus.” They also performed “Big Beautiful Planet” in American Sign Language.

This is Dutch Broadway’s first annual Earth Day Assembly.

Date Added: 5/6/2024

In honor of Autism Awareness Month, Covert Avenue School students were recently visited by local author, autism parent and disability educator Amy McCoy, who wrote the book “Little Big Sister.” The book is about nine-year-old Katie and her older brother, Mikey, who has autism.

McCoy talked with the students about her own experiences as a mother of a child with autism, and how it inspired her to write the book. She explained to the students what autism is and how it can affect someone’s communication and behavior. Her presentation focused on how kind words and actions are important, and how students can have a better understanding of peers who have disabilities.

The presentation was provided to students in grades 3-6 in two assemblies. Third and fourth graders received a copy of the book to take home.

 

Alden Terrace School hosted a ribbon cutting for its brand-new Positive Links Unifying Fence Project on April 17. On the school’s chain-link fence by the bus yard, it now says “Alden Excellence” with two paw prints in the school’s colors of blue and white.

The Building Advisory Committee created the idea for the project to link members of Student Council with their peers in fifth grade and promote positive role models. Student Council, the fifth graders and the SEL team collaborated to bring the vision to life, working together to spell out “Alden Excellence” with the provided blue and white cups. A member of the Building Advisory Committee met with the students to go over the dimensions and layout.

This multi-phase collaboration project has been underway since September. It culminated with the ribbon cutting ceremony, and parents were invited to participate in adding cups to finish the design. This beautifying project unified the school community and inspired positive “links” between students.

Date Added: 5/2/2024