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N. Merrick school founder receives surprise honor
The eighth-graders kept their voices low, despite their excitement as they rushed to the Progressive School auditorium in North Merrick last month to line up for their graduation.
They whispered, in case Eric Jacobson, the Progressive School co-founder and principal, walked by. They had planned a surprise for him that they didn’t want to spoil.
The surprise
As the graduation ceremony began, seventh-graders joined the graduating eighth-grade class to sing a medley of songs. The chorus sang songs they had chosen, including Imagine Dragon’s “It’s Time” and Green Day’s “Good Riddance (Time of Your Life).” Key chorus members belted out solos.
While the chorus sang, Jacobson played the guitar. He sat alongside students who played the drums, keyboard and guitar.
The moment to reveal the students and parents’ surprise quickly approached. Music teacher Bruce Katz invited a few students to the podium as a puzzled Jacobson placed his guitar on the stand next to him. He looked on as the students read aloud a citation from the New York State Assembly, signed by Assemblyman David McDonough, of North Merrick.
“We present Eric Jacobson with this citation,” read graduate Jayden McMillan. A wide smile spread across Jacobson’s face. His cheeks were red and he rubbed his hands together. He walked to the microphone as Jayden handed him a plaque. The audience stood and clapped.
“So this is what happens when you cut your salary by over 75 percent,” he joked. “Thank you to the parents and teachers for this award. If you can believe it, a mother was furious with me one year for playing music alongside the kids. But it’s something I’ve enjoyed doing always and it’s something that brings the kids closer together. A special kind of bond is formed this way.”
Jacobson said he didn’t see the award coming, and was humbled by it. “I definitely think some parents must have arranged getting the award,” he said with a laugh in a phone interview later on. “I was honestly surprised, and it was nice to see that the children were proud of me. It’s beautiful that there’s something personal — a bond — that they were proud of me and they loved me. But really, I kept thinking that I want the school to get recognition.”
During the ceremony, Jayden sat at the piano after Jacobson finished speaking. He played a rendition of Claude Debussy’s “Clair de Lune.” As the crowd listened, Jacobson closed his eyes and folded his hands on his lap.
“It’s talent like Jayden’s and talent that’s instilled in the other children that truly get our school recognized,” he said later. He paused for a second. “Each child in the Progressive School is gifted. It’s the children and the school that deserve recognition, not me.”
‘We’re a family’
Stephanie McMillan, Jayden’s mother, stood in a kindergarten classroom at the Progressive School. In the nine years that Jayden had attended the school, he always felt its supportive atmosphere, his mother said.
“One of the special things about this school is that not only do the children get a stellar education, but they also explore different topics ranging from the environment and the importance of recycling and religions that other children practice,” McMillan said. “If one child is practicing Ramadan, other children ask questions about it, and they have a discussion on it. If one child doesn’t celebrate Christmas, then they ask questions and have a discussion on it. It’s an inclusive atmosphere.”
Jacobson and his wife, Evangelina, founded the Progressive School in 1985 with a $30,000 donation. Their 5-year-old daughter was among the first students. Jacobson said he wanted to create a school where students feel a sense of purpose. “We include academics, music and art in our curriculum to allow each child to shine,” he said. “There has to be love and a sense of community. When they feel loved, all accomplishments come along too. That’s what we feel our mandate is in becoming a great human being.”
Not only do the children feel a sense of community, but the parents do as well. “We’re a family,” McMillan said. “It’s very interesting because [Eric] has a persona with the students and a persona with adults. With his students, he’s just a hit. He’s a great teacher and he seems to understand how children learn. He understands thoroughly when people have disabilities and how to work around them, how to work with them. He has a magical bag of tricks when it comes to things like that. And with the parents, he shows us that he cares about our children so we all bond.”
Michelle Deruvo-Sitterer, whose son Alex graduated from the Progressive School last month, expressed her gratitude for the school and Jacobson’s efforts in creating a judgment-free atmosphere.
“It’s definitely a school where a love of learning is fostered among the children,” she said. “They are able to grow their own interests as well as learn all the ABCs and 123s along the way.”
Because of the school’s focus on environmental issues, Deruvo-Sitterer said, Alex developed a strong sense of responsibility for the Earth and “all living things.”
“Honestly, our favorite part of the school is that it is one big family,” said Dominick Miserandino, whose daughter Caterina attends the school. “Not only do the kids get along like siblings, but all of the families get to know each other. Some have grown into our closest friends. And when you’re all working towards the same goal, it only helps the children.”
Jacobson said the bond that he shares with the children is precious. “For me, it’s just a different relationship that I have with them,” he said. “It’s really fun for me to play music with the graduating kids, and it’s a memory we will share together. It’s a chance for me to relate to them as brothers and sisters in music and not just a principal. It’s a chance to relate to them in a different way.”
