“The best is yet to come,” North Bellmore School District Superintendent Marie Testa said of the eight educators who officially received tenure at the April 10 board of education meeting.

During a standing room-only celebration at Martin Avenue Elementary School, the newly tenured administrators and teachers were lauded for their hard work and dedication to students during their probationary periods. They reflect the strength, breadth and excellence of the district, Ms. Testa noted.

Receiving tenure were:

Amanda Licci, principal, Newbridge Road Elementary School

Daniel Madden, assistant principal, Saw Mill Road Elementary School

Danielle Calapai, instructional coach

Alexa Cappuzzo, second grade teacher, John G. Dinkelmeyer Elementary School

Yvonne Francolini, librarian

Kerri Maxwell, first grade teacher, Newbridge Road Elementary School

Alyssa Parker, physical education teacher

Catherine Schlaich, computer science teacher

The night was filled with speeches celebrating each tenure recipient from proud colleagues. They also had the honor of achieving this career milestone with their families in attendance.

“We know the amount of time and effort and care and love that goes into being a teacher or an administrator,” Ms. Testa said. “Tenure reflects our confidence in their ongoing impact and their role in helping all learners succeed.”

Date Added: 4/22/2025

First graders explored the animal kingdom for their research projects at Martin Avenue Elementary School. The month-long process culminated with a writing celebration on April 7.

Students in Debra Ferretti’s and Nicole Huttner’s classes each picked an animal to research, using both books and online resources. Each child took notes on his or her animal’s body, food, habitat and life cycle, then created a book with information on those topics as well as other fun facts.

The project helped students work on their note-taking skills and writing stamina. Ms. Huttner said the goal was for them to write longer, more detailed sentences. The young authors also explored the elements of nonfiction books like a table of contents, headlines and illustrations.

At the publishing party in the cafeteria, students from the two classes proudly sat at the tables and waited for their guests to come in. They then got to share the story with their parents, their fourth and sixth grade reading buddies, teachers, administrators and each other. Up next, first graders will dive into opinion writing and craft toy reviews.

Click here to view the Martin Avenue Authors Share Animal Books slideshow.

Date Added: 4/10/2025

At nearly 80 students, North Bellmore’s fifth grade orchestra rivals the size of a philharmonic orchestra. Playing at that level may be years away for the young musicians, but their dedication to their craft is comparable. 

Once per six-day cycle, the fifth grade orchestra gets together at John G. Dinkelmeyer Elementary School for morning rehearsals. It consists of students from the district’s five elementary schools and features violin, viola, cello and bass players. Conducting the group is first-year orchestra teacher Patrice Ryan. 

Currently, the ensemble is working on three pieces for the spring concert, “Arco-ology,” “Entry of the Tumblers” and “Spy Rock.” They will showcase their talents at the district orchestra concert on May 12. 

Lisa Uckardes conducts the district’s sixth grade orchestra, which meets at Martin Avenue Elementary School on the same mornings as the fifth grade ensemble. In addition to their full-group rehearsals, students from both groups take part in small-group lessons with Ms. Ryan and Ms. Uckardes at their schools. 

Click here to view the Orchestra Students are Becoming String Savvy slideshow.

Date Added: 3/26/2025

Fourth graders are passionate writers at Martin Avenue Elementary School, and that love sparked the idea for a book. Students in Lauren Fasano and Lori Lennihan’s class recently published “The ABC’s of Martin Avenue.”

The collaborative project followed personal narrative writing unit, during which each student wrote a story about an important moment. After a lot of hard work on their individual pieces, students turned their attention to the class writing project.

Each student was assigned a letter of the alphabet for the book. Students selected adjectives based on their letters and then wrote a page, using those adjectives to describe life at Martin Avenue. They also created colorful illustrations. Since there were more letters than students, each teacher also contributed a page. For Y, each child wrote a sentence about their principal, Dr. Michael Yannucci.

It was printed by Studentreasures Publishing, with the class receiving its own hard-cover copy of the book. Students could also purchase copies as a keepsake. The book featured a dedication page as well as a signed author’s page with everyone’s name.

Ms. Fasano described the project as a labor of love, noting that her students love to write, with many of them aspiring to become authors. She added that each page reflects that child’s unique personality.

“That they were literally writing a book was so exciting,” Ms. Fasano said of her students. “They had a lot of creative input. It was such a great experience for them.”

Date Added: 3/25/2025

Before it was time to get down to business, North Bellmore School District Board of Education trustees, administrators and the public were treated to a musical delight. The district’s sixth grade Festival Band opened the March 13 meeting at Martin Avenue Elementary School with a pair of songs.

The performance celebrated Music in Our Schools Month and the district’s commitment to music education. The Festival Band includes sixth graders from all five elementary schools and is directed by Skylar Berkley and Christopher D’Orio.

“This talented group of musicians represents the dedication, perseverance and enthusiasm that make our district so special,” said Saw Mill Road Elementary School Assistant Principal Daniel Madden, administrative liaison to the music program. “Through every note they play, these students showcase not only their musical growth but also their ability to collaborate and rise to new challenges – skills that will serve them far beyond the classroom. Their journey is a testament to the power of the arts in shaping confident, passionate learners who are ready to make their mark on the world.”

Under the direction of Mr. D’Orio, the band played “Royal Crown March.” Ms. Berkley then led the ensemble in “Alpha Squadron.”

Superintendent Marie Testa recognized all of the district’s music teachers and noted that the program supports the mission of developing well-rounded students. She added that the performance reflects the joy and value that music brings to people’s lives.

“North Bellmore has an exemplary music education program,” she said. “We want to celebrate our students and our teachers.”

Click here to view the Festival Band Delights Audience at BOE Meeting slideshow.

Date Added: 3/18/2025