October 2014

Charter school battle in Lawrence

    A group of several professionals some of whom work in education and live in Atlantic Beach submitted an application to the state for the New American Leadership Academy charter school in the Lawrence School District.
    The charter school planned to have kindergarten to fifth grade classes of 60 students each and fully developed would have cost the district more than $8 million in state money.
    A majority of community members and district officials vehemently opposed the charter school. A website was created and several hundred letters were sent to the State Education Department voicing resident opposition. The charter school application was withdrawn in November. 

Siemens recognizes Five Towns scientists

    Eight students from four Five Towns schools were recognized for their research projects submitted to the 2014 Siemens Competition in Math, Science and Technology Competition.
    Lee Blackburn and Arthur Chen, of Lawrence High School, and Justin Lish, of the Hebrew Academy of the Five Towns and Rockaway (HAFTR) High School — all juniors — were named regional finalists, as was Russell Charnoff of HAFTR.
    Three Hewlett High School students, senior Meghan Bialt-Decelie and juniors Benjamin Golbin and Levy Sominsky, were honored as semifinalists, along with Adina Singer, a senior at Stella K. Abraham High School for Girls. The Hewlett students also took first place at the high school level of the poster competition at the third International Energy and Sustainability Conference held at Farmingdale State College on Oct. 23.