From the desk of Dr. Charles Murphy

Anton Community Newspapers • 132 East 2nd Street • Mineola, NY 11501 • Phone: 516-747-8282 • FAX: 516-742-5867

From the desk of Dr. Charles Murphy

Friday, 11 January 2013 00:00

As many of you know, New York State plans to test students, in grades 3-8, on the new Common Core Learning Standards. Last year, Kentucky was the first state to test their students with these new lofty standards. Unfortunately, the results in Kentucky plummeted from the prior year. Reading proficiency fell from 76 percent to 48 percent in Kentucky’s elementary schools and 70 percent to 46.8 percent in their middle schools.

Equally concerning, math scores dropped from 73 percent to 40.4 percent in their elementary schools and 65 percent to 40.6 percent in the state’s middle schools.

Many of their state officials predicted there would be a drop; however, very few thought the decline would be so dramatic. As a result of Kentucky’s experience with the new common core assessments, many educators feel this is a predictor of what may end up happening in New York State.

In fact, both New York and Kentucky employ Pearson—one of the largest educational publishing companies—to create the new, more rigorous Core Curriculum assessments. This is something parents in New York State should be aware of, as their children get ready for these new state tests in April. If you have any questions about the common core assessments or the new requirements, please contact your child’s teacher.

News

Bonsai Takes Over East Meadow

Friday, 24 May 2013 00:00

Memorial Day weekend is always filled with backyard barbecues, family gatherings, block parties and more, but if you are looking for something different to do during the long weekend, look no farther than the East Meadow Farm.

Levittown's Final Deficit Budget

Thursday, 23 May 2013 00:00

As the budget season drew to a close this week, the Levittown Board of Education did everything in its power to make sure that all residents were fully armed with the correct budget information as they headed to the polls.

Dr. James Grossane, superintendent of schools, went through the most recent budget numbers with attendees at the most recent public meeting on May 14, telling the group that the board decided to go with a 2.98 increase for the 2013-14 school year, within the 2 percent tax cap levy. The district is looking for about $131.9 million from taxpayers for the upcoming school year.

Sports

Two Generations Of Generals

Thursday, 23 May 2013 00:00

On a beautiful Tuesday afternoon, Frank DeNunzio sat in the bleachers and watched as his son Anthony prepared to bat for the MacArthur Generals. He closed his eyes for a second and was transported back in time to 1981, and for a brief moment he remembered that once-in-a-lifetime feeling of being a member of the Generals Nassau County Championship baseball team. Suddenly, the crack of the bat jolted his eyes open and he watched his son successfully rip his third hit of the game.

Seaford Football Team Honored

Thursday, 23 May 2013 00:00

Seaford High School’s Varsity Football Team has a long tradition of success on the playing field, but its service off the gridiron also won praise from the Nassau County High School Football Coaches Association (NCHSFCA) this year. The Conference IV regular season undefeated champions and New York State Scholar Athlete team was awarded the first-ever Community Service Award from the organization during the NCHSFCA Grid Iron Dinner.