Mineola’s school board has received five responses to a request for proposal for superintendent search firms, Board President Cheryl Lampasona said at the Thuresday, March 12, board meeting.
“They are going to be under evaluation,” she said. “We will continue to keep our community updated.”
The superintendent position was vacated when Michael Nagler resigned following an investigation into his involvement in the Build Your Own Grade curriculum.
The board voted to approve numerous administrative items, including personnel and student trip motions.
Interim Superintendent Catherine Fishman said Mineola High School earned the College Board’s Platinum Status distinction.
“Its the highest level of the College Board AP School Honor Roll,” she said. “Its really important, not only for the students taking the exams, but also for us as a high school. Colleges rate high schools, so when you have a Platinum Status rating, student grades are looked at differently.”
At the meeting, the middle-school jazz musicians performed songs for trustees, administrators and community members present. Brass, drums, a piano and a bass came together to perform “Can you tell me how to get to Sesame Street,” and other songs.
“I am a firm believer that our society is only as good as the music and arts programs we have in our schools,” Trustee Margaret Ballantyne said, adding that this month is Music in Schools month. “I’ve always been very proud of the music program in this district, and the arts programs.”
Students and faculty gave presentations to the board on a recent student trip to Italy and the color guard and marching band trip to Disney World in Orlando.
“We’re trying to connect real-life situations and teach culture through the language,” Jonathan Piccirillo, who teaches Italian at Mineola High School, said. “You start learning a language in the classroom… and in the World Language Department, we’re trying to bring it outside of the classroom.”
He said the world language teachers center food and culture in their education and host several events to give students practical usage of their languages, including international trips that now involve 42 students. The school’s Multicultural Night included food donations from local restaurants, he said.
Students participated in leadership and music workshops, during which they met Disney corporate leaders and band conductors.
“It was a very memorable opportunity for the color guard,” Madison DeCillis, a team captain, said.
The teams were in the parks for four days. The marching band worked with Disney staff to create a music video for “The Circle of Life,” which used animation from the 1994 movie “The Lion King.”
The marching band also performed in a parade within the park’s Magic Kingdom.
