School News

A new school year nears

Local districts to open before Labor Day

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It’s time to get those backpacks filled with supplies and those new sneakers laced up. The school year starts next week in local districts, a rare year in which the first day of classes comes before Labor Day.

The three local districts start on consecutive days — Wantagh on Sept. 1, Levittown on Sept. 2 and Seaford on Sept. 3. Local Catholic schools also open next week, with Maria Regina starting on Wednesday, followed by St. William the Abbot on Thursday.

“We’re excited to welcome our students back into their buildings and look forward to a great year of learning ahead,” said Wantagh Superintendent of Schools Maureen Goldberg. “The facilities department did an excellent job of making improvements to our buildings and grounds over the summer, and the teachers and administrators are excited to see the return of students and are focused on the district’s educational goals.”

This year, Wantagh High School will be offering several new electives, Seaford is restoring a full middle-school sports program and Levittown will be unveiling its new Outdoor Education Center for science instruction.

For hundreds of area students, the first day will hold special meaning. “It is very bittersweet,” said Mike Gino, who will begin his senior year at MacArthur High School. “You have one last year to spend with the people that you grew up with, but as one chapter of your life ends, another begins.”

“It’s my last first day of school, and we’re all going to get together and enjoy it,” added Seaford High School senior Jessica Fischetti, who admitted she has mixed emotions about her last year of high school. She says she is looking forward to her last year on the volleyball team and Color Guard, and to events such as the pep rally, Homecoming and prom.

Jake Ragona will be entering Seaford High School, and is looking forward to his first day as a freshman. “I get to see all my classmates again and I get to know my teachers,” he said, adding that he is a little nervous about having to learn to navigate a new building.

Over the next four years, Ragona says, he hopes to play for the baseball team and take business classes. Overall, he is looking forward to his high school experience. “I feel like I would have more freedom,” he said, “and being around all the older kids, I feel like I could learn a lot from them.”

Harrison Kane starts his first day at Wantagh High School next week. “I’m very excited,” he said. “I can’t wait to make new friends and meet my new teachers. It’s always great to meet new people.”

As a way to meet new people, and also to stay in shape, Kane says he is looking forward to playing soccer and basketball for the junior varsity squads.

A true first day

At the other end of the spectrum are children beginning their first day of kindergarten. Meganlee Garcia, of Seaford, will be sending her daughter, Avery, 5, to school for the first time. Garcia said that Avery, who will be attending the Manor School, is excited to make new friends and become a good reader.

Garcia is expecting her fourth child, but Avery will be the first one to start school. “We’re very excited, and so is Avery,” she said. “It’s a big deal for us. She will do very well.”

Avery’s two years at Our Redeemer Nursery School in Seaford helped prepare her for kindergarten, her mother said. She noted the well-rounded and enriching program that included reading, writing and science.

All of Avery’s school supplies are ready, because Garcia ordered them online and picked them up at the school. “It was very easy,” she said. “When I was younger, we didn’t have that.”

Danielle DiCerbo says her two children are ready for their first day of school. Her son, James, will be in second grade at Wantagh Elementary School and her daughter, Angela, begins kindergarten.

DiCerbo said that she has some nerves for 4-year-old Angela, but is glad she will have her older brother there to look after her, in addition to having friends from pre-school programs in her class. Additionally, Angela has attended some of James’s activities at the school the past two years, so she has some familiarity with the building. “It’s a little different than going in not knowing anything,” she said.

A year of lasting decisions

Senior year will not only be about enjoying the present, but looking to the future, as many will be spending time selecting colleges. Gino, who plans to apply to several SUNY and CUNY schools, will be supplementing his senior-year studies with his analysis of prospective future schools.

Wantagh High School senior Brandon Blumstein stressed the importance of senior year, and is planning to begin work soon on his college essays. “I look forward to making important decisions about my future,” he said. “Students have to think about colleges, a future occupation and life goals. This is an exciting process, but may appear stressful at certain times.”

Blumstein aims to study sports or business management. Looking to spread his wings, he has set few boundaries on the distance of his prospective schools. He plans to apply to the University of Georgia, the University of South Carolina, Syracuse University and the University of Kentucky, along with several other large universities.

On the calendar

September will be a choppy month of school, with days off for Labor Day, Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur within the first four weeks. Much of the month will be filled with back-to-school nights, parent workshops, picture days and PTA meetings.

Circle Saturday, Sept. 26, on your calendar as a day that will be full of school and community spirit. All three high schools will be hosting their Homecoming celebrations and football games that day. The Wantagh Warriors will take on Long Beach, the Seaford Vikings face East Rockaway that evening and the MacArthur Generals will play Mepham High School.