One-room, two-room and eight-room wooden schoolhouses each served the educational needs of North Bellmore students for periods of time dating back to 1820, but it’s the present-day red-brick Newbridge Road Elementary School that has withstood the test of time. The community came out to celebrate its 100th anniversary on May 3, a festive day that included a parade, speeches, historical museum and dance party.

Built in 1924 with eight classrooms and an all-purpose room, it has been expanded multiple times to accommodate a growing population and pre-dates the district’s next oldest building by nearly a quarter-century. Principal Amanda Licci, the ninth leader in the school’s history, explained that Newbridge Road is much more than just a building.



“We are a community, not just a school building,” Ms. Licci said. “This school has been, and will remain a cornerstone in North Bellmore. It became clear that the mission and core values of those who came before us mirror our current mission and core values. It became clear that whatever it was, or how forever long it was, those people who have been part of Newbridge’s history, Newbridge’s community, have been deeply impacted by their experiences here.”

The celebration began with a parade from the front entrance to the rear blacktop, with all students and staff in their blue 100th anniversary shirts provided by the PTA. Prior to opening remarks, the school community formed a large “100.”

Superintendent Marie Testa, who attended Newbridge Road for kindergarten, spoke about the history of education in the North Bellmore, from that one-room schoolhouse in the center of town to “this magnificent building” that stands today.

“It’s almost as beautiful as the community that resides within it,” Ms. Testa said.

Board of Education Vice President Nina Lanci noted that several years ago, Newbridge Road School needed a refresh and one architect suggested tearing the building down and building new. Instead, the board found a different architect who shared their commitment to preserving and modernizing and important landmark in North Bellmore.

After the speeches, the fifth and sixth grade band performed a selection of songs, including “Happy Birthday,” under the direction of Dana Hirsch. Students and staff then went into the auditorium, where Ms. Licci introduced retired principals and teachers, as well as Newbridge Road alumni. There were former graduates from every decade from the 1940s to the 1990s. Students then watch a slideshow about the history of the school, created by technology teacher Michael Bevilacqua and narrated by Ms. Licci and third grade teachers Brenda Adragna and Lynda Brust.

The gymnasium was transformed into Centennial Hall, filled with pictures and artifacts. The Hall of Principals showcased all of the leaders of the school. Several tables had old equipment and technology that today’s students were completely unfamiliar with. There were then-and-now photos of alumni, a tribute to past and present staff, old student projects, and photos from the school’s 80th and 90th anniversary celebrations.

Each class had a chance to visit the hall, as well as the new centennial garden that was created on the front lawn by Mr. Bevilacqua and sixth grade students, featuring plants that are native to Long Island.

The celebration closed out with a decades dance party. Physical education teacher James Breslin put together a playlist with one song from each decade from the 1920s to the 2020s, and students and staff danced the afternoon away.

Click here to view the photo slideshow.

Date Added: 5/6/2024

Writers of all ages are thinking deeply as they pen their latest works at Martin Avenue Elementary School.

First graders channeled one of their favorite activities, playtime, for their recent writer’s workshop project. To support an opinion writing unit, students wrote toy reviews. Each child was asked to pick his or her favorite toy, then create a piece to explain why. The young writers cited specific examples of why they enjoy playing with the toy.

Teacher Debra Ferretti said that the goal of the assignment was for students to learn how to use facts and evidence to back up their claims. They also worked on using descriptive language in their pieces.

Each student’s toy review included an illustration, a few sentences of persuasive writing and “ka-pow words” – lively adjectives to describe the toy. Before they began writing, students read mentor texts, which are relatable examples of good opinion writing, including “The Perfect Pet”by Margie Palatiniand “Kitty Found a Pet” by Troy Cummings. The writing process included brainstorming, a first draft, and a revising and editing process before publishing their final pieces.

Fourth graders recently completed their literacy analysis essays. The project began with a book swap, in which students brought in one book to trade, while getting to take home another.

From there, students selected a book, then analyzed one literary element from it, including author’s purpose, character development, character traits and theme. Teacher Lauren Fasano said they could choose a book from either the Fountas and Pinnell read alouds or the class novels.

Ms. Fasano explained that this was among the most challenging and thorough writing projects students have done in their elementary years. The purpose was for them to read and understand a book on a deeper level, use text evidence to support their thoughts and write a well-organized essay. Ultimately, she said, the hope is that it leads to more in-depth book discussions among students.

Date Added: 5/3/2024

North Bellmore has a long history of providing students with a quality education, dating back to the 1800s. One-room, two-room and eight-room wood-frame schoolhouses were home to students for decades.

The district’s first modern school, the red-brick Newbridge Road Elementary School, was built in 1924, and expanded over the years to support growing enrollment. The initial building consisted of eight classrooms and an all-purpose room. The building has continuously operated for a century, and for years was the district’s lone school until Martin Avenue and Waltoffer Avenue (John G. Dinkelmeyer) opened in the late 1940s.

In advance of the 100th anniversary celebration on May 3, please enjoy our video capturing the history and mission of a storied school that has educated students for generations.

With their seven years at Park Avenue Elementary School nearing an end, sixth grade ambassadors reflected on the good times and looked forward to opportunities ahead at the North Bellmore School District Board of Education meeting on April 11.

Each monthly meeting begins with a presentation from sixth grade students, rotating among the five elementary schools. With two and a half months to go until graduation, Park Avenue students Arya Chandhok, Christian DeAngelo, Christopher Prill and Madison Scholl took few moments to share memories and ambitions.

Madison recounted being in kindergarten, when their sixth grade buddies would visit the room to read to them and do activities together. Now, she and her classmates are role models for their kindergarten buddies.

Christopher looked back fondly on his “nice and kind teachers” and the special memories like assemblies and field trips. Thinking ahead, he is excited for middle school where he will change classes, have a locker and join clubs. He also feels ready for more challenging work.

Christian said he feels prepared for middle school, both because of the foundation he received at Park Avenue, and lessons from his older sister, who’s now in high school.

“I’m looking forward to being in school with my Park Avenue friends but also meeting new friends,” he said.

As they prepare for the next step, the Park Promise is what stands out for Arya. She will always carry with her the virtues of strong character, like respecting others, making good choices and appreciating each other’s differences. Arya said she and her classmates have the tools to be good citizens.

Date Added: 4/22/2024

A pair of April observances – Earth Day and National Poetry Month – were the combined inspiration for a project in Jessica Pirozzi’s fourth grade class at Saw Mill Road Elementary School.

After reading a passage about the history and meaning of Earth Day, as well as studying different types of poetry, students were tasked with writing and Earth Day haiku. The Japanese poetic form is a three-line poem with five syllables, seven syllables and five syllables. Fourth graders wrote short poems that reflected different ways to help the environment.

Click here to view the photo slideshow.

Date Added: 4/22/2024