Students throughout Valley Stream District 30 at Clear Stream Avenue, Forest Road and Shaw Avenue elementary schools have been practicing effective communication and emotional understanding during Speech Week from May 15-19.

Organized by speech teachers and therapists, the week featured many events and activities that reminded students the importance of expressive communication and to be receptive of their peers’ ideas and needs. Speech therapists and students visited classrooms throughout each building during Speech Week to share important lessons about various aspects of speech, reinforcing how essential communication is in achieving future success. Grades were faced with different challenges, such as expressing emotions that pre-kindergarteners through second graders have felt and practicing conversation starters for grades three through six.

On May 18, select Global Leaders of Tomorrow and speech therapists shared lessons on American Sign Language. At Shaw Avenue, members of the ASL Club visited classrooms to share some basic signs, including how to request a water or bathroom break and how to say, “I love you.” Learning about sign language showed students how some individuals with disabilities communicate, while also giving them a new way to communicate in the classroom.

Date Added: 5/23/2023 

Several achievers in Valley Stream District 30 were recognized at the Board of Education regular meeting on April 24, including both students and employees.

In her superintendent’s report, Dr. Roxanne Garcia-France highlighted the students who participated in the district’s first DroneBlock competition. In February, teams from each of the district’s three schools coded against the clock to complete missions with their drones. Competitors Christopher Lawrence, Tristan Grey, Bria Folkes, Devyn Lee-Brode Abrielle Boodhoo and Maya Maldonado were presented with certificates.

Members of LEGO Robotics clubs were then recognized for their commitment and passion. These students will use their coding skills to compete against other teams from throughout Long Island. Students Lunissa Devenstar, Meryem Beskardes, Olivia Jones and Zaiden Grant were honored with certificates.

Lastly, Dr. Garcia-France introduced the Above and Beyond the Call of Duty, or ABCD, Award. These staff members have shown initiative in prioritizing student safety and displaying strong compassion for our Global Leaders of Tomorrow. They included Maryam Fatima, Teresa Eberle, Darlene Sinclair and John Genna.

Date Added: 5/2/2023