Members of the Carle Place School District Board of Education met on the evening of Thursday, Nov. 6, to discuss programming for students and teachers. The two main topics of the hour-long meeting were an update on the implementation of the Diane Sweeney student-centered coaching method for teachers and work-based learning internships for high school seniors.
Both programs aim to elevate students and teachers professionally while focusing on the best interests of students. The Diane Sweeney method, or instructional coaching, improves student outcomes by investing in teachers through classroom coaching.
Teachers at Cherry Lane and Rushmore Avenue elementary schools have already begun implementing the method and are achieving great results, they said. After four weeks of a coaching cycle, students at Cherry Lane have jumped from 41.8% mastery of writing to 89.8%
Presenters at the meeting plan to expand upcoming coaching to boost student engagement and ownership in the classroom, promote hands-on science, and maximize student data performance. Among the participating schools, teachers are lining up to participate in the next instructional coaching cycle, aiming to improve their skills and enhance student outcomes.
“After seeing the presentation, it definitely connected a lot of dots,” said board president Vanessa Dong-Monaco. “I also enjoyed listening about the literacy committee, how that was pulled in so the cross overlap of what we have been working on last year were actually successes.”
The second presentation of the meeting focused on work-based learning programs for high school seniors. The goal of the project is to teach students about potential careers before they graduate. Mentorship and internship are key pillars that drive the intent behind the opportunity that doesn’t offer school credit. These internships would be after school extracurriculars for those involved.
Students interested will be matched with work-based learning locations that enhance soft skills, such as adaptability and time management, in preparation for life after high school.
“I don’t care what you do for a living. If you do it well, I’m sure there’s someone cheering you on or showing you the way, a mentor,” said Superintendent Ted Cannone. “Mentoring and internship is a big part of what this is all about. It’s something the district has been committed to.”
Before opening the floor to brief public comment, the board updated the district-wide school safety plan for the 2025-2026 school year. The update included Desha’s Law, a cardiac emergency response plan that will take effect on Jan. 20. Public comment centered around the weekend hours of Rushmore Elementary’s playground. The board decided to look into morning openings and evening closures on Saturdays and Sundays.
