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

A Women’s History Month project had some St. Patrick’s Day inspiration at Martin Avenue Elementary School. Sixth graders in Lauren Fleigner’s class completed “Lucky to Learn From Her” research projects.

Each student selected a famous woman to research. They used the online site PebbleGo to gather their information. The notable figures they learned about included Abigail Adams, Maya Angelou, Ruby Bridges and Coretta Scott King. Sixth graders include information about their contributions to society.

Their research projects were printed out, along with pictures, and hung in a bulletin board in the hallway so all students could learn about these pioneering women.

Date Added: 3/14/2025

The smiles and laughter from both children and adults showed that it was mission accomplished for Global School Play Day at Martin Avenue Elementary School on Feb. 5. The North Bellmore School District embraced the annual initiative nearly a decade ago as a reminder that learning can be fun.

Each class at Martin Avenue blocked out time for unstructured play. In many rooms, students played with games and toys they brought from home.

Second grade teacher Mary Carrea said no electronics were allowed as she wanted her students to play the old-fashioned way. She noted the many benefits of playing board games like teaching compromise, fair play and sportsmanship.

Fifth graders in Ashley Vella’s class played bingo and charades before unstructured free play began. All of the desks were pushed to the edge of the room to create a wide-open space for play. Even the back table was transformed into a ping-pong table. In addition to board games, her students could be found drawing and playing with action figures.

“It’s always a fun day,” Ms. Vella said, adding that it’s a good chance for her students to tap into their creativity, bond over common interests and expand their friend groups.

First grade teacher Nicole Huttner had her students rotate through stations with different games that students brought in from home. Rachel Graber’s sixth graders hosted their buddies from Antonietta Fischetti’s second grade class. While the older students usually serve as the leaders, this time it was flipped as it was the second graders who brought in their games and taught others the rules.

“Unstructured play provides students the opportunity to develop their communication, critical thinking and problem-solving skills,” Principal Dr. Michael Yannucci said. “It supports the ongoing efforts of our teachers to build caring and compassionate classrooms.”

Click here to view the Learning Through Play at Martin Avenue slideshow.

Date Added: 2/11/2025