Enhancing student learning with new district initiatives

The Uniondale school district is preparing for the upcoming school year by introducing new programs and improving existing ones to offer students a variety of opportunities.

Superintendent Monique Darrisaw-Akil outlined key points for students and parents to look forward to into the new school year at the monthly Board of Education meeting on Aug. 5.

“We are at the beginning of the end of summer break, and we are speeding straight through to the beginning of the new school year,” she said, “and we couldn’t be more excited about it.”

One new program Akil and other administrators are excited about is the “My Sister’s Keeper” initiative, which will be aligned with the “My Brother’s Keeper” program.

The new group, Akil said, is a “girls empowerment initiative” that will begin in Uniondale High School for the first time this fall, and it will be dedicated to “leadership development, cultural identity, service,” and academic preparedness.

The district is also dedicating time and resources to existing programs, including the Autism program across the elementary schools, the dual language program across the district, and the “Algebra for All” initiative in middle schools to improve grades and test scores in challenging algebra classes. They’re also expanding the “Sown to Grow” program in the middle schools, which is a computer-based program that allows students to discuss their feelings and needs, and teachers respond with support. 

The district also had a variety of programs for Uniondale scholars of all ability levels throughout the summer to prepare them for the school year ahead, including camps centered on literature, STEAM education, music, and the arts.

One of the programs was the “Elevate AP Boot Camp,” where students were introduced to the rigor and expectations of advanced placement classes over the course of four days. Each day, students learned different study skills to help them with the college-level courses they will be taking during the school year.

The district increased the enrollment for their AP courses by more than 50 percent in the past year, growing from around 300 students to over 523, officials noted in a news release.

Students who attended the AP summer program feel ready for the challenges ahead, assistant superintendent Rhonda Taylor said, because of the “opportunity to sit with staff members during the summer and have office hours” to receive support.”

The school district aims to continue expanding and updating its offerings, and the benefits they provide to students should enhance the students’ learning, officials added.

“We are looking forward to starting another successful school year,” Natalie Longsworth, vice president of the Board of Education, said.