Elementary school families in the Lynbrook community recently gathered for PTA Connected: Ready, Tech, Go!, an event designed to equip families with strategies for fostering healthy digital habits and understanding the impact of screens and social media on children's mental health. Organized by Marion Street PTA and Waverly Park PTA, parents and children in grades 1-5 across the school district were invited to attend. The event featured hands-on activities for children and informative discussions for parents, creating an engaging and educational evening for all.


Interactive Learning for Children

While parents attended discussions, children participated in hands-on learning stations designed to promote digital awareness and balance. They explored the basics of digital communication by creating binary code bracelets, engaged in games to encourage face-to-face interaction and learned about online safety through activities that highlighted digital footprints and cybersecurity.
 

Expert Insights for Parents

Parents attended presentations by expert speakers on the effects of screen time and social media use. The evening began with a welcome message from Lynbrook Guidance and Support Staff, including Ms. Nathalie Chery (School Social Worker from Marion Street Elementary), Mrs. Carol Woehr (School Social Worker from Waverly Park Elementary) and Mrs. Natacha Boyce, Director of School Counseling and Social Work. They provided an overview of trends they are seeing in our elementary schools related to children's technology use and social media habits.

Next, Dr. Vera Feuer, Northwell Medical Director of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, delivered a presentation titled Healthy Screen Habits: Navigating Internet Use, Social Media, and Screen Time and Its Impact on Mental Health. She shared insights and engaged parents in discussion on digital habits, screen time and mental health.

Following Dr. Feuer, Matt Silverman, Producer and Technology Journalist, presented Profits Over Safety: How Social Media Companies Monetize Our Kids' Addiction and Anxiety. He provided eye-opening insights into how digital platforms capture young users' attention and offered strategies for caregivers to counteract these influences.

 
Supporting Families Beyond the Event

At the end of the night, parents received a resource folder with additional materials, tips and strategies to continue the conversation at home with their children.

This program was a collaborative effort between Marion Street and Waverly Park PTAs, with support from Lynbrook Guidance and Support Staff. The event was made possible by sponsorship from AT&T and National PTA through the Ready, Tech, Go! grant. #OwlProud #OwlLearns

 

Click here to view the Marion Street and Waverly Park PTAs host ‘Ready, Tech, Go!’ event slideshow.

 

Date Added: 4/22/2025

Students at Waverly Park Elementary School recently had fun decorating plates to showcase the foods that they traditionally eat during this holiday season. The holidays included Easter, Passover and Greek Easter. Students who do not celebrate the holidays drew their favorite foods. The feasts were then hung up in the hallway so everyone could admire the works of art and the fabulous foods that are enjoyed by our Waverly family! #OwlProud

Click here to view the Waverly Park celebrates holiday season with creative crafts slideshow.

Date Added: 4/22/2025

Waverly Park Elementary students, staff and families came together in full force to celebrate Autism Acceptance Day, showing their support for inclusion and understanding. Everyone wore blue in solidarity, and a fun photo booth was set up in the lobby for students to capture their best blue looks. Throughout the morning and lunch, blue bracelets were sold to raise awareness, and a Be the Change fundraiser collected spare change to benefit the Rolling Thunder Special Needs Program, one of the first inclusive running clubs for athletes in the USA.

The day also featured a special guest reader, the son of one of our beloved teachers, who read the heartfelt story My Brother Charlie, helping students better understand the experiences of those with autism. The fun continued with a lively blue dance party at lunch, teacher relay races, and a spirited blue parade around the school.

It was a wonderful day filled with learning, laughter, and the practice of acceptance, as we came together to honor and appreciate the differences that make our community stronger. #OwlProud #OwlCares

 

Click here to view the Waverly Park Elementary celebrates Autism Acceptance Day slideshow.

 

Date Added: 4/4/2025

The start of March spelled a week of fun at Waverly Park Elementary School in the Lynbrook School District as students took part in a series of engaging activities for PARP Week.
Following the theme of “Don’t bug me, I’m reading,” students were challenged to record their time spent reading at home while completing different challenges, including taking a selfie with their reading partner and identifying an insect habitat in their yard or through online research. Each student received a copy of “Bibsy Cross and the Creepy-Crawlies” to read throughout the week, which culminated in a visit by author Liz Garton Scanlon. Mrs. Scanlon hosted an interactive discussion with students about the steps it takes to become a published author, such as going through multiple drafts or working with an editor. She inspired the young writers with her success with the “Bubsy Cross” series and urged students to listen to constructive criticism. At the end of Mrs. Scanlon’s presentation, students asked thoughtful questions about her journey.

Photo caption:
1) “Bibsy Cross” author Liz Garton Scanlon visited Waverly Park School as they reached the culmination of PARP Week on March 8.
2) Mrs. Scanlon hosted an interactive discussion with Waverly Park students.
3) Mrs. Scanlon read a passage from her book, “Bibsy Cross and the Bad Apple.”

Photos courtesy Lynbrook Public Schools

Date Added: 3/14/2025

Lynbrook is proud to announce that 33 of our exceptionally talented students were selected to showcase their artwork at this year's Art Supervisors Association All County Art Exhibit. On March 9, Herricks High School came alive with creativity as these young artists displayed a diverse array of inspiring pieces that highlighted the innovative spirit and artistic excellence of our community. We celebrate their remarkable achievements and the vibrant future of art in Lynbrook! #OwlProud

Artists included:
Kindergarten Center
Daylen Nelson
Mila Sanchez
Noelle Ryder

Marion Street
Charlotte Horowitz
Mia Wong
Violet Mainhart

Waverly Park
Brielle Nicolas
Gia Rosinsky
Gisele Leib

West End
Gelissa Morino
Izabella Ramos
Mia Zeneli

North Middle
Addison Casey
Hudson Palazzolo
Vera Saccone

South Middle
Aya El Msiyah
Izabella Schoen
Julia Jin
Melinda Olalde
Riley Aragon
Sarah D'Aleo

LHS
Aidan Mailman
Ava Paulin
Catherine Christakos
Emilie Scala
Emilio Zuniga
Jacob Katz
Kamila Ramirez
Kayla Finnegan
Luke Saccone
Payton Stalter
Sarah Akerman
Steven Michelakos

 

 

Date Added: 3/10/2025

For the whole month of February, Waverly Park students embarked on a journey through the lives of several Black historical figures. Through the guidance of their classroom teachers and their library media specialist, Mrs. Heather Cocozza, the students were provided with an opportunity to view the world through the lenses of someone else. The students explored various icons through videos, research and books to learn about what adversities they overcame and how they impacted life as we know it today. Different classes took on the journeys of scientists, poets, musicians, inventors and trailblazers.

Ms. Hopkins’s 345H class learned about the inventor Garrett Morgan, who is the inventor of the first gas mask and the first traffic light. The students learned about this inventor by watching a video and learning about his accomplishments before creating their own traffic lights.

First graders took an adventure with the “George’s of Black History”. Each class learned about George Crum, the accidental creator of the potato chip, and George Washington Carver, famously named the “plant doctor.” Crum was a chef who always sought to please his clients, including one who demanded thinner and crisper potatoes with his meal – thus, the potato chip was born! Carver is known for his efforts planting peanuts and sweet potatoes to add nutrients back to soil. The students read and researched each of the icons and displayed their learning by elevating one fact about their icon.

Second graders learned about Bessie Coleman, a courageous and strong female pilot. With the support of books, videos and research, the students learned about this aero pioneer for women pilots everywhere. She never took “no” for an answer and always pushed to pursue her dreams of flying the skies. The students completed a biography sheet about her to display their appreciation for Coleman.

Third graders took to their artistic sides as they designed a collaborative poster of the 26-year-old poet laureate, Amanda Gorman. Amanda started her young life with an auditory processing disorder that affected her hearing and speech. Through these challenges she pushed herself to read more out loud and poetry is what helped her do so. The students studied Amanda and listened to some of her poems to put together facts to be displayed with her poster.

Fourth graders took to the skies with learning as they embarked on an adventure about NASA’s “Hidden Figures”. The students listened to a book about these trailblazing women and what challenges they faced all while making history. The students compiled a poster on Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan and Mary Jackson, all of whom assisted in many successful and historical projects for space travel.

Lastly, our fifth-grade students were assigned different “unsung heroes” to research for this unit. Each student was assigned a different icon, using online databases and an online creative platform, Canva, to compile the accomplishments and life successes of their icons in a document. These squares were then pieced together to form a beautiful and insightful “freedom quilt” on the hallways of Waverly Park. #OwlProud #OwlLearns

 

Click here to view the Waverly Park embarks on journey for Black History Month slideshow.

 

Date Added: 3/5/2025

Lynbrook was thrilled to have its talented students participate in this year’s Long Island String Festival. Five of our dedicated Secondary students shone during the weekend of Jan. 31, culminating in a concert on Feb. 2 at Wisdom Lane Middle School. Meanwhile, ten of our passionate Intermediate students impressed audiences during the weekend of Feb. 28, with concerts on March 1 and 2 at Uniondale High School. We are proud of their hard work and the exceptional musical talent they showcased at this prestigious event. #OwlProud

Date Added: 3/4/2025