By Nicole Falco
The Valley Stream Central High School District hosted an open house at each of its four schools last week. Each event included breakfast, highlights of the schools' unique programs and an optional guided tour of the buildings.
On Nov. 18, members of North High School's Student Peer Organization (SPO) explained how their club helps promote positive peer pressure among students and teaches them how to counter negative peer pressure.
Only juniors and seniors are eligible to be members of SPO. Interested students apply in their sophomore year. If accepted, they must complete two full days of training.
On Nov. 19, Dr. Kathleen Cairo, principal of Memorial Junior High School, thinks "Memorial Junior High School is GREAT." Cairo and other school leaders used the word "GREAT" as an acronym for Guidance, Respect & responsibility, Excellence, Academic attitude and Team work.
A special video was also presented at Memorial.
On Nov. 20, students led discussions and demonstrations of various programs at Central High School. After a brief introduction by Principal Joseph Pompilio and Dr. Marc Bernstein, interim superintendent of the high schools, visitors met with students.
Highlighted programs included U.S. History, American Sign Language, cosmetology, art and the performing arts, English, health and science.
On Nov. 21, South High School's Principal Dr. Stephen Lando, Assistant Principal Greg Peddle and a guidance counselor, Patricia Antonelli, talked about the many programs and clubs available to students that promote character education.
Programs include the "Make a Difference" award, "Adopt a Hallway" project, which is designed to promote a clean building by making students more responsible, and various drives, including clothes, food, toys and blood. Clubs include the Key Club, which is raising money to build a school in Africa, World of Difference, which promotes acceptance, and Peer Mediation, which talks about conflict resolution.
American Education Week is a national program created in 1921, after World War I, by the American Legion, National Education Association and United States Office of Education to bring attention to the importance of education. Today, many groups co-sponsor the program - including the National PTA and school boards.
This year's theme was "Great Public Schools for Every Child - America's Promise."
