Valley Stream 24 Celebrates Graduating Sixth-Graders

 (JUNE 2022)—As the school year comes to an end, the Valley Stream 24 School District recently held commencement ceremonies to congratulate the sixth-grade graduates of Robert W. Carbonaro, William L. Buck, and Brooklyn Avenue elementary schools. 

“I am incredibly proud of our graduating sixth-grade students. As they move toward new opportunities in middle school, I want to congratulate them for all they have accomplished during their years in their elementary schools in Valley Stream 24” said Dr. Don Sturz, Superintendent of Valley Stream 24 Schools. “Middle school is a great and exciting adventure. We cannot wait to see what wonderful things they accomplish there. Thank you to our Valley Stream 24 family, friends, and faculty who were able to join us during these commencement days with love and pride!” 

Mrs. Lisa Pellicane, President of the Valley Stream School District 24 Board of Education, addressed the graduates and their families and friends at each of the ceremonies. Principals of each school also addressed their graduating students. Dr. Sturz made comments at Brooklyn Avenue Elementary School and William L. Buck Elementary School’s ceremony while Dr. Lisa Conte spoke at Robert W. Carbonaro Elementary School’s ceremony. After a year filled with fond memories and love, Valley Stream 24 couldn’t be prouder of the soon-to-be middle schoolers!    

To watch the Robert W. Carbonaro slideshow: https://youtu.be/rV46h6B-9tQ To watch the Robert W. Carbonaro graduation video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hM6-rePfyVE To watch the William L. Buck slideshow: https://youtu.be/iXdYjz24VmI To watch the William L. Buck graduation video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Of5BlybBFHc&feature=youtu.be To watch the Brooklyn Avenue slideshow: https://youtu.be/5ftnOOyFqP8.  To watch the Brooklyn Avenue graduation video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=roDR7dHI1s4   

(MAY 2022) —Sixth-grade students from all three Valley Stream 24 Schools elementary schools, accompanied by Dr. Scott Comis, Principal of Brooklyn Avenue Elementary School, and Mr. Rosario Iacono, Principal of Robert W. Carbonaro Elementary School, traveled to the Ashokan Center, located in Olivebridge, New York, for an overnight trip of learning and exploration.  The Ashokan Center is an independent music and nature nonprofit which was established in 2008. In addition to field trips from schools across the New York region, the Center hosts festivals, music, and dance camps, and rents out its facility for private retreats. 

The sixth-grade students had the opportunity to make connections and friends with students from all three schools in Valley Stream 24. While on the field trip, the students learned about nature and respecting the environment. They worked together to prepare meals and venture into the outdoors. They were given a presentation on wild birds of prey and enjoyed a campfire as they sang songs and wrote their own lyrics about their experiences and feelings during the overnight trip. 

 (MAY 2022) — In celebration and in recognition of Earth Day, students in Valley Stream 24 Schools were busy learning creative ways to reuse and repurpose materials to create new things. For example, at Robert W. Carbonaro School, students were given the opportunity to participate in various activity centers set up by teachers and student council volunteers. The multiple activities for the students to take part in were based on grade level, including creating rain sticks, making recycled papers, tornadoes in a bottle, terrariums, tic tac toe boards, suncatchers, board games, and recycled art projects.  

In addition, students participated in a recycled materials carnival, a recycling relay race, and an Earth Day escape room activity. Every student in the school was able to plant flowers in the school gardens. They also planted milkweed seeds in a paper towel roll that was turned into a pot, which they were able to take home. For all students at Robert W. Carbonaro, the celebration of Earth Day resulted in newfound knowledge and appreciation for the importance of reducing, reusing, and recycling in order to make our Earth a better place for all of us. 

(MAY 2022) —Children’s mental health affects their social, emotional, and behavioral development. Valley Stream 24 strives to create a learning environment that challenges each student to become a self-sufficient, responsible, contributing member of their community and the greater global society and encourages them to achieve their highest potential. One of the ways Valley Stream 24 makes that possible is through the District’s Wellness CARE initiative.  

For example, A new task force has been developed at the William L. Buck School. They are the Wellness Warriors, and they are the student voice when it comes to mental health. The group was set up to ensure that staff members were hearing firsthand how Scholars were feeling and why. The Wellness Warriors engage in conversations about stressors for our Scholars and strategies to promote mental wellness.   

The Wellness Warriors engaged in think tanks, where they developed and have scheduled activities for Mental Health Mondays and Wellness Wednesdays for the month of May. Activities will include Scholars exploring their identity and values, talking about causes of stress, brainstorming solutions to problems as a school community, and exploring activities for self-care. These activities allow a safe space for Scholars to share their feelings and experiences and allow Scholars to develop coping tools.