Hicksville Public Schools

Hicksville voters: Please remember – Hicksville Public School’s Budget Vote and Trustee Election will be held in-person on May 18th OR by Absentee Ballot due to the District Clerk’s Office by 5 p.m. on May 18th.

Hicksville Public Schools is recognizing a successful fall sports season, despite the challenges teams and student-athletes faced due to the pandemic. Not only were students able to participate in athletics this school year, they succeeded.

Third grade students in Mrs. Melissa Butler’s art classes at Old Country Road School in Hicksville participated in a very special project this year: sharing inspiring artwork with children in Nigeria through The Memory Project.

Congratulations to Hicksville Middle School robotics team, Team Meteorites Cubed, for winning the most prestigious prize, the Champion’s Award, at the virtual School-Business Partnerships of Long Island (SBPLI) FIRST Lego League Challenge Championship on April 17.

“Looking through all of these old albums and scrapbooks was like finding a buried treasure,” explained Beth Swanson, Principal of Woodland Elementary School, as she explored boxes of information previously in storage about the history of her school. “You study the faces of all these individuals that attended or worked at Woodland over 60 years ago, and once sat in the very same classrooms and walked the same hallways that exist today and you can't help but feel some kind of connection to them, while not having known them at all. It's like finding pictures of old relatives that you've never met but wish you could.”

Students at East Street School, part of Hicksville Public Schools, prepared for Earth Day by tending to the school’s garden and livening the playground with chalk art.

Buildings within Hicksville Public Schools are participating in activities and lessons to celebrate autism awareness and acceptance. At Lee Avenue Elementary School, all classroom teachers showed a TEDx Talks video to their students titled, “We Are All Different and That’s Awesome!” After watching the video, classes discussed and wrote down things that make them unique on puzzle piece cut-outs. The decorated puzzle pieces were hung in classrooms and on a bulletin board in the lobby of Lee Avenue. Remote students also participated from home.

Japan Center at Stony Brook just announced the winners for the 16th Essay Competition (2020-2021). Faiqa Ali, a freshmen at Hicksville High School, won the High School Division Best Essay Award of the competition.She will be presented with a $3,000 check, an award certificate and a Canon camera. Melanie Unger, Hicksville High School freshmen was recognized as a semi-finalist in the competition. Both students were mentored by their Social Science Research teacher, Dr. Stephanie Piscitelli.

Hicksville Public Schools has been honored with the Best Communities for Music Education Award from the NAMM Foundation. The NAMM Foundation recognizes communities for outstanding efforts of teachers, administrators, parents, students and community leaders for making music part of a well-rounded education.

Makerspace – just the name is inspiring. Seventh graders at Hicksville Middle School were recently immersed in a social studies project-based learning unit, “Invention Project,” using the school’s Makerspace. Remote students also participated, using materials supplied by the school and logging into their class where they could see the teacher and share their progress. Students in Ms. Lauren Kranz’s, Ms. Kristy Burke’s, Mr. Joseph Hartig’s, and Mr. Glen Alexander’s social studies classes, along with the support of middle school librarian, Ms. Claudia Lasurdo, participated in the project.

Congratulations to Omika Samlall, a senior at Hicksville High School, who has been chosen to participate in the virtual Students Inside Albany government educational conference on May 21 &22, 2021 sponsored by the League of Women Voters.

A lot of great things are happening at the Hicksville Middle School. Take look at the latest from the Robotics Team, the Mock Trial Team and the MS Proud: Robotics, Mock Trials & Science Olympiad Teams.

On April 7, Hicksville High School will host a Career Day Inc. program where students will hear from a diverse group of professionals and learn about varied paths others have taken to reach their career goals. We’re looking forward to a great and informative day!

Watch how our Orchestra students greet students as they start their day!

Art teacher at Lee Avenue Elementary School in Hicksville, Staci Kolinsky, was awarded more than $1,000 in art supplies for her students, thanks to Donors Choose. Donors Choose is a nonprofit that allows individuals to donate to classroom projects. The organization’s mission is to ensure students in every community have the tools they need for a great education.

Two sisters in the Hicksville School District have added an extra layer of protection for their district's flutists during the COVID-19 pandemic. Hicksville High School sophomore Samantha Mason and Hicksville Middle School seventh-grader Lauren Mason have designed and donated face masks specifically for students who play the flute in their district.

Twenty-two Hicksville High School students participated in the St. Francis Prep Virtual Model United Nations Conference held on February 6th. Two of the Model UN students won awards at the PrepMUNC conference.

The Book Fairies have visited Hicksville Middle School. The National Junior Honor Society sponsored a book drive to support the Book Fairies, an organization which donates books to school districts on Long island. To that end, the NJHS was able to collect a record number of books that filled 46 cartons.

On a brightly sunny March 7th, 100 families from Hicksville Public Schools were provided parking spaces at the Broadway Mall to complete a chalk drawing, the culminating event of a three-week grades K-12 Kindness Challenge. The event was made possible by a collaborative effort involving the Hicksville Council of PTAs, the Broadway Commons Mall, and the Hicksville Public Schools.

Transportation of non-disabled children to private and parochial schools outside the district is available up to a maximum of 15 miles. Each year requests must be made by April 1st for those who wish to continue or begin transportation.

March is MUSIC IN OUR SCHOOL MONTH! Listen to our High School Chamber Singers sing "America the Beautiful"

“I felt as if I finally came home when I began in Hicksville,” said Laura McConnell, Principal of Old Country Road Elementary School. “The staff and families were really open and welcoming. It just felt like family.”

The Hicksville Middle School Student Council recently wrapped up its Souper Bowl fundraiser. Hicksville students, staff and families were asked to donate cans of soup and other non-perishable food items from Jan. 25 to Feb. 8. All of the goods collected were then given to Our Lady of Mercy in Hicksville.

We all could really use an extra dose of kindness these days, and Hicksville Public School students are embarking on a mission to deliver just that. Kindergarten through twelfth grade students will be challenged to practice kindness at home, at school, and in the community over a three-week period starting during their winter recess.

A new partnership between the Hicksville Public Schools and the Hicksville Public Library has been launched. This collaboration will be a welcome resource for our students to easily access books electronically through the use of electronic library cards that will give them the ability to borrow books and use resources from the Hicksville Public Library, as well as all of the public libraries in Nassau County.

“I became a teacher because someone saw something in me that I did not see,” explained Principal Jorisch. “Every path I took got me to where I am today. How lucky am I to do what I love in a place that I love? But I don’t do this alone – building relationships is so important. I have a great team that works together. I am grateful every day.”

The Hicksville Mental Health and Wellness Coalition and the Hicksville School District are proud to announce the launch of Fresh Horizons, a new social emotional learning series for our parents/guardians. Fresh Horizons was designed with the expressed goal of creating a virtual location/platform for solution- focused parent workshops.

“During these difficult times, we truly see goodness and kindness from everyone,” said Lee Avenue Principal Stephanie Stam. “I know if we continue to work together we can get through this and any other obstacles that may come our way in the future.”

Students in Grades K-6 join students from across NY State Saturday mornings. Go to https://scopeonline.ce.eleyo.com (Click Enrichment) or call 631-360-0800 ext 133

Welcome back to the 2020-2021 school year. We are navigating through challenging landscapes and redefining routines we have enjoyed for generations. This correspondence will outline changes you and your child(ren) may experience in Hicksville’s Food Service Program.

Fifth graders from Lee Avenue and Fork Lane Elementary School perform in a virtual orchestra concert.

What a fun snow day! Hicksville students enjoying the first snow of the season brings a smile to our faces.

Students in the Hicksville School District are learning how to code in the classroom. As part of Computer Science Education Week, which runs from Dec. 7 to Dec. 13., some students at East Street Elementary School and Dutch Lane Elementary School took part in the Hour of Code.

Hicksville High School students participated in the Voice of Democracy Audio Essay Competition sponsored by the Veterans of Foreign Wars. Each year, students write on an annual theme. This year’s theme was “Is this the Country the Founders Envisioned?”

Hicksville Middle School students participated in Patriot’s Pen Essay Contest sponsored by the Veterans of Foreign Wars.

Students at Lee Avenue Elementary School in Hicksville are displaying acts of kindness with the help of some elves this holiday season. All grade levels took part in the Acts of Kindness Elf Contest. Students chose an elf to color and decorate, while writing an act of kindness on the front.

The Hicksville Public Library and Hicksville Public Schools are partnering to provide enhanced access for district students. “We are striving to provide opportunity and access for all our district students to utilize the extensive resources of our local and county-wide library systems,” stated Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction Anthony Lubrano.

Kindergarten through fifth grade students at Lee Avenue were invited to design paper face masks illustrating one of the school’s rules, known as Lee-O’s-Laws. Pictured here are the students selected as first place winners in front of the bulletin board that features their mask designs.

As part of a larger Summer Enrichment Program, K-12 students in Hicksville Public Schools elected to participate in self-guided learning, including a hand’s-on gardening project.

Children's Hope of India, the Kiwanis Club and the Hicksville Council of PTAs joined with the school district to provide local families with traditional Thanksgiving dinners and additional food support this season.

Students in Hicksville Public Schools celebrated Kindness Day by wearing blue on Friday, November 20th and participating in classroom- and building-level activities over the entire week of November 16th.

Sports physicals will be offered for those students who attend school on Mondays and Tuesday on Tuesday December 15th - HS at 11:00am and MS to follow at the MS. For those who attend school on Thursdays and Fridays sports physicals will be provided on Thursday, December 17th - HS at 8:00am and MS to follow on same date at the MS

Congratulations to Hicksville High School art teacher, Craig Mateyunas, for being named the 2020 Art Educator of the Year for Region 9 by the New York State Art Teacher Association. One art educator is chosen annually by each of NYSATA’s ten regions for their outstanding contributions to the field of art education and service to the state organization.

Danielle Grey-Stewart, a Hicksville native who grew up enamored with science and how it shapes the world around her, was selected for the 2021 Rhodes scholarship program, one of just 32 recipients in the United States to receive the prestigious distinction.

From October to May, Lee Avenue students celebrate PARP (Parents as Reading Partners). Students have an opportunity to dress up in a particular theme one day each month to promote PARP. This month was the 60's day.

Several Hicksville High School students received awards for participating in the New York State Field Band Conference Individual and Ensemble Competition. Congratulations to Samantha Mason, who placed fourth in the Individual Advanced Flute Performances, and to Nisarg Shah, who placed fourth in the Individual Advanced Saxophone Performances.

Students in Melissa Butler’s art classes at Old Country Road School participated in a very special project this year. The Memory Project is a nonprofit organization dedicated to creating global kindness through art (www.memoryproject.org). American students, like those pictured here from OCR holding their artworks, exchange artworks with children from countries that are culturally very different from the USA. For this project, the artworks the students are holding will be sent to students in Pakistan. The intent of the exchange is to promote intercultural awareness, break down cultural and geographical barriers, and inspire creativity through the universal language of art.

At an historic time when life is so uncertain and our point of reference for “normal” shifts almost hour-to-hour, reflecting on the stability and constancy of our educational system provides an anchor we can all hold on to. As our community continues to adapt to the circumstances surrounding the COVID-19 health crisis, maintenance of our school community relationships has never been more important. Teachers, students, parents are working together in-person and electronically to move forward in our “new normal.”

Students at Woodland Elementary School in Hicksville are learning about maps and landforms. Third graders in Megan Callahan’s class thought of imaginary places they discovered. After coming up with these new locations, students made their own maps, even including map keys to feature the landforms. They also wrote questions about their maps for their classmates to answer.

Students at Hicksville’s elementary schools were in the Halloween spirit on Friday, Oct. 30. Students and staff dressed up in costumes to celebrate the holiday in the classroom. Many classes took part in festive activities like Halloween dances and arts and crafts. Students wore their masks and practiced social distancing while participating in the Halloween fun.

Parents of ALL K-12 students in Hicksville Public Schools are being asked to complete a Parent Re-Commitment Form for their child(ren)’s educational plan to take effect as close to the beginning of the second quarter, November 16, 2020, as possible. Even if a parent is NOT changing their child(ren)’s current educational plan, they are being asked to complete the form.

Hicksville High School senior Alejandro Gonzalez was recently named one of the College Board’s National Hispanic Recognition Program Scholars.

Hicksville Athletics Department has developed a comprehensive intramural program that allows any student in grades 9 through 12 to participate in a fall athletic activity should they wish to do so. Students who are virtual / remote may attend as well. This program will follow all NYSDOH and NYSED Physical Education COVID-19 guidelines, and is permissible under the current NYSPHSAA regulations. Please note that this is an intramural program, not an athletic team program. As such, coaches will focus primarily on conditioning, sports specific training & individual skill work.

Hicksville Public Schools has created a webpage for up-to-date information on what's new in the District. From important announcements to the latest news, the HPS Newsroom is the place to go for all the news you need.

Welcome Back to School Hicksville families! Whether you are in-person, remote or hybrid, this will be a great year. We are all Hicksville Strong and we are all in this together!

Welcome to the 2020-2021 new school year! This will be a very different school year as we are reopening schools with new learning and safety protocols in response to the Coronavirus Pandemic. We welcome students back to school in-person or remotely using new learning platforms and redefining what “school” will look like. New health and safety protocols are in place. These include wearing face coverings, arranging classrooms to comply with social distancing guidelines, touchless hand-sanitizing stations, water bottle refilling stations, and daily disinfecting regimens throughout our schools.

First Aid for Feelings: A Workbook to Help Kids Cope During the Coronavirus Pandemic is a free 16-page downloadable workbook available in English, Spanish, and French.

This week, parents will receive a color Quick Reference Guide & Mask Flyer. This important information about COVID-19 Protocols is for families to refer to everyday.

The Hicksville School District welcomed 13 new teachers during an orientation on Wednesday, Sept.ember 2. The new educators gathered at Hicksville High School where Superintendent Marianne Litzman and Assistant Superintendent for Personnel Rosemarie Coletti spoke about what to expect for the upcoming year.

Hicksville High School students, parents, and alums may see some familiar scenes featured on News 12 on September 2nd, and 3rd during Anchor Elizabeth Hashagen’s special report about the reopening of schools. Ms. Hashagen spent the morning at Hicksville High School filming lead-ins, background shots, and interviewing Superintendent of Schools Marianne Litzman.

The spring of 2020 brought about unprecedented changes to our society and our education system. We ask for your understanding as we try to navigate through these times, together. It is my sincere hope that you have a productive school year at Hicksville High School.

The 2020-2021 school supply lists have been posted for all of our schools. Please visit your school's website to find your list.

The Board of Education approved a revision to our instructional calendar for the 2020-2021 school year.