SCHOOLS

Kennedy teacher makes the grade

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Alexis Vandergoot, a teacher of chemistry, the living environment, anatomy and marine biology at Kennedy High School, recently passed though the rigorous application process for the state’s “Master Teacher” program. She is one of 70 teachers on Long Island to make the grade since the program began in 2013.

According to Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s office, the program is meant to improve STEM education — that is, science, technology, engineering and math — by having the state’s best teachers mentor new and upcoming teachers. The four-year position comes with new responsibilities as well as a stipend of $15,000 per year. To apply, teachers must submit letters of recommendation, a personal statement, a STEM lesson plan, pass content exams and undergo a lengthy review.

A teacher in the Bellmore-Merick Central High School District since 2009, Vandergoot is also the Science Club and Science Olympiad adviser and assistant girls’ varsity lacrosse coach at Kennedy. She has developed and helped run an eighth-grade forensic science summer camp at Stony Brook University.