From the bagel store to the beauty parlor, from the beach club to the bus stop, what is the number one topic of conversation among parents? Hands down, the survey says-teachers and teaching. And well it should be. Moms and dads are concerned about who is going to spend 180 days with their children for the school year. more

The North Merrick School District Board of Education announced at a Dec. 8 public meeting that a resolution is expected to be reached in coming weeks on teacher contracts that expired in June 2008. The breakthrough was reached at an 8 a.m. negotiation session on Sunday, Dec. 6. more

As if riding a zip line off the Great Wall over water weren’t enough, there was always snacking on fried scorpions to get the four Bellmore-Merrick teachers’ hearts racing. The women also played … more

The Merrick School District welcomed the newest additions to its staff at the Sept. 29 Board of Education meeting. Joining the faculty this year are art teachers Robyn Jordan at the Birch School and Amanda Kaminsky at Chatterton School. Also teaching English as a Second Language districtwide is Christine Treglia. "These teachers went through an extensive interview process," Dr. Ranier Melucci, district superintendent, said. "On behalf of the Board of Education, the central office and the Merrick community, I want to welcome each of our three new teachers to the school district." Also discussed at the meeting were plans for the new school year, including continuation of guided reading programs and the inclusion of fun, wellness-based physical activities for students, like the popular game Dance Dance Revolution. The next Board of Education meeting will be on Oct. 20 at 7 p.m. at Levy-Lakeside School. All board meetings are open to the public. more

A fourth-grade teacher tells me this story: She advises an after-school club for children who want to work on a special project for a science fair. She can only accept 10 students, and she chooses those who step up first with their plans. They set a due date for completion. Part of the project requires the students to interview a science teacher and write up the Q & A. more