The Sewanhaka Board of Education met on Tuesday, November 25, to discuss new programs, provide updates on the recent events, and honor students in the competitive marching band.
Superintendent Regina Agrusa addressed the school district’s response to a student bringing a BB gun and a folding knife to New Hyde Park Memorial High School on November 21. She recounted the series of communications to parents regarding the incident, noting the first contact on the day of the event and then more detailed accounts of the school’s response that night and the next day.
“This is a very serious matter that is being handled in accordance with the District’s code of conduct,” Agrusa said. “Schools cannot do this work alone, and we need families to speak openly with their children about the seriousness of bringing prohibited items to school.”
The superintendent said that since the event, she has debriefed extensively with New Hyde Park Memorial High School principal Rosemary DeGennaro, and with the Nassau County Police Department and Homeland Security. She added that the district has spoken with and heard parents who have expressed concern over the district’s response and communication.
During the public comment section of the meeting, Masooma Zakir, mother of two students at the school, expressed thanks for the response and for listening to parent concerns. She asked what security measures would be implemented, to which Board President William Leder said the district would reach out later with an answer.
After her initial address, Agrusa introduced the student competitive marching band, The Marching Knights of Sewanhaka, to perform and receive awards for their recent successes. The band performed a section of their piece, “Dead Men Tell No Tales.” Later, the board and band directors presented each student with a commendation for winning 2nd place in the New York State Field Band Conference’s Large School 3 division.
At the beginning of the meeting, Jasmine Chen, student and Ex Officio Board Member, updated the board on recent student events, including the presentation of The Lion King Jr., a Youth Summit at Jericho High School, Sewanhaka High School’s International Night Celebration, and relief efforts for victims of Hurricane Melissa.
During the meeting’s public comment section, two more community members addressed the board. Claudine Hall, President of the Jamaica Square Improvement League, thanked the superintendent and district for their participation in her Historically Black College and University (HBCU) and Greek night. She said the event was a success and brought information about HBCUs to a welcoming community.
Parent Farah Akbar also commented to the Board, expressing concern about the curriculum’s use of iPads in the classroom. Board President Leder responded by saying the school has “no tech Tuesdays,” during which iPads are not used.
