Second graders welcomed spring at John G. Dinkelmeyer Elementary School by growing their own grass. Students in Ellen Tournour’s class each grew grass in a cup, then added eyes and a mouth to the outside to create their own grassheads.

After a weeks of growing, it was time for a “haircutting” party. Each student grabbed his or her scissors and gave the grass a trim. Some children even worked on stylish cuts for their grassheads.

The project was part of a science unit on the life cycles of plants. They put grass seed and dirt into a stocking, tied it up and placed it in a clear cup. Ensuring their seeds got regular sunlight and water, students observed the roots growing in the soil and then the grass sprouting through the stocking.

Ms. Tournour also connected the science project to literacy, as students gave their grassheads names and wrote fictional stories about them. After the cutting party, they were able to take their grassheads home.

Click here to view the Grassheads Engage JGD’s Young Scientists slideshow.

Date Added: 5/8/2025

The North Bellmore School District celebrates its fabulous educators for Teacher Appreciation Week. Students from our five elementary schools share the qualities that make their teachers special in this video:

Date Added: 5/6/2025

School spirit was evident through colorful pictures and powerful slogans with the return of the annual poster contest at Park Avenue Elementary School in the North Bellmore School District.

The revived contest garnered 125 hand-drawn entries from students in kindergarten through sixth grade. They had a choice of creating a poster based on one of three themes.

For the leadership category, posters had to show what it means to be a role model. The P.A.R.K. theme focused on being positive, having a hardworking attitude and showing respect and kindness. Park Pride posters focused on the joyful experience of being a member of the school community.

The poster contest was an initiative of the Shared Decision Making Committee which consists of Principal Dr. Lynn Coyle, four teachers and four parents. They received all of the submissions and selected 14 winners – two per grade level – based on a rubric. The winners, as well as runners-up, were recognized at a recent schoolwide assembly.

“So many fabulous posters were submitted,” Dr. Coyle said. “You could see how much hard work and effort went into it by the students. It shows that there is an immense sense of pride in being a part of the Park Avenue community. The school means a lot to them and that was represented in the posters.” 

Each winner received a medal, and his or her poster was framed and will hang in the halls for the next year. Runners-up were given art pins and all entrants got certificates.

Sixth grader Tyler Ashley was thrilled the poster contest was back, as he entered and won as a kindergartner. Now another one of his posters will adorn the Park Avenue walls as his time at the school nears the end.

“I wanted to do it because I wanted to show my artistic ability,” Tyler said, noting that his poster blended the themes of leadership and Park pride. “I felt like being leaders has been important at Park throughout kindergarten to sixth grade.”

Grace Calderone was also happy that the poster contest was back for her final year, and she has fond memories of entering it in kindergarten, first and second grade.

“I wanted another chance to win, and I worked hard on my poster,” said Grace, who went with the Park pride theme. She added that she was impressed by all of the posters created by her classmates because it shows “how far everyone has come since kindergarten and the pride they have developed.”

Date Added: 5/2/2025

Walt Whitman made his mark on the literacy world right here on Long Island and perhaps the next renowned poet will come from Saw Mill Road Elementary School. Throughout April, which is National Poetry Month, students have certainly been honing their craft.

Fifth graders in Melissa Mignoli’s class captured their personalities in delightful “I am” poems. The three-verse pieces featured statements based on the prompts “I wonder,” “I hear,” “I want,” “I touch,” “I understand,” “I dream” and more. It allowed students to take a deep dive into their feelings while expressing themselves creatively.

In Brandon Rosenblatt’s class, fifth graders wrote acrostic poems out of the school name. Students wrote one line based on each letter in “Saw Mill” to express their feelings about the school.

Third graders from Catherine McDonald’s class wrote Diamonte or diamond poems. The pieces were seven lines long, follow a specific pattern and do not rhyme. Their antonym poems were about one topic for three-and-a-half lines, then changed to the opposite. The project also helped students practice their cursive writing.

Click here to view the Saw Mill Writers Shine During Poetry Month slideshow.

Date Added: 4/30/2025