Education

School Board rolls out three policies, recognizes student accomplishments

JULIE LANE PHOTO
Student Jade Samuelson inspired art teacher Stephanie Sareyani to work with her classes to create a large number of exhibits during this school year.

The Board of Education provided first readings of several policies at its March 11 meeting — admissions, child abuse and mistreatment and use of surveillance cameras in the district and on buses.

The policy on use of surveillance cameras is new, a reflection of the attention to heightened security in the wake of  shootings in schools around the country.

A number of cameras have already been placed, with plans to provide more this year in public areas where there are currently gaps. None are placed in private areas, such as locker rooms.

Video recordings can be used in student disciplinary situations and, where permitted, by collective bargaining agreements in employee disciplinary situations. Notices of the use of surveillance cameras will be posted at building entrances.

One proposed change on admissions will  provide for children of staff members, who don’t live in the district, to pay a tuition of $1,500 per year to attend Shelter Island School. There are provisions for how to establish residency and  provide education for children in foster care and homeless children, as well as for children of military personnel who may be relocated because of their service, but choose to continue schooling on Shelter Island.

The policy on protecting children from abuse and mistreatment is also updated from an earlier version.

All proposed policies can be viewed at the school office.

March 11 was also  a night to celebrate student accomplishments.

Academic Administrator Jennifer Rylott announced the induction of 13 students in the school’s chapter of the Junior National Honor Society. To qualify, students in grades 7 through 9 had to have achieved a cumulative academic average of 90 or better; submitted four letters of recommendation; writtten an essay; and demonstrated excellence in the five pillars of the organization — scholarship, leadership, service, character and citizenship.

The inductees who were honored are Alfred Brigham Jr., Sophie Clark, Pacey Cronin, Elijah Davidson, Cassandra Espinoza Heimann, Kaitlyn Gulluscio, Sebastian Quigley-Dunning, Katherine Ramos Nieves, Francis Regan, Angelina Rice, Hayden Rylott, Madigan Teodoru and Benjamin Waife.

Shelter Island had 11 students selected to participate in the Suffolk County Music Educators Association program.

Participants included Elsie Mae Brigham, Betzaida Campos, Lexi Jernick and Johanna Kaasik in the Division 1 Chorus; Elena Schack in the Division 1 Band; Henry Lowell-Liszanckie in Division 2 Band; and Franny Regan and Olivia Overstreet in Division 3 Chorus. The students had rehearsals for their performances on March 2, 7 and 9.

The Division 3 concert was on Saturday and Division 1 and 2 students performed on Sunday, at Southampton High School.

Art teacher Stephanie Sareyani was at the meeting with 5th grade student Jade Samuelson, who she said motivated her to tackle a number of projects this year that show the achievements of local students.

Among the projects students engaged in this year was creating fish-themed pictures for the elementary wing hallway. Their work was augmented by professional artist and Reporter cartoonist Peter Waldner, who created a mural using words of the students that related to the school’s Decency Campaign.

Student work will go up in the hallway in April, Ms. Sareyani said. The students also worked on a display for the Shelter Island Library.

In May, June and July student work will also be displayed by real estate professional Janalyn Travis-Messer in her real estate office.

Three students who are members of the school’s DECA program — previously known as Distributive Education Clubs of America, which enhances student business skills — competed at state level last week. Tyler Gulluscio competed in the professional sales event where he prepared a presentation to sell a product to a judge in a role-playing event. He was recognized as one of the top 10 finishers in the state.

Tyler, Pacey Cronin and Emmett Cummings paired with students from other districts for a startup business challenge that required identifying a business opportunity and discussing how to grow it and make it successful. They placed second overall in that competition.

Teacher James Theinert accompanied them to the state competition in Rochester at the beginning of the month.

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