Greetings!
It's hard to believe that the end of the school year is just around the corner. During the months of April and May, we were able to bring back many of Lexington's traditions after two years of COVID restrictions - Multicultural Celebration, Senior Awards Ceremony, Prom, Middle School Carnival - to the delight of our students. We were also honored by a visit from NYS Senator Shelley Mayer, who has always been a strong advocate for Lexington and the 4201 Schools Association. As I look ahead to June, we are planning to proceed with our traditional graduation and move-up ceremonies. However, I ask for your understanding should we need to modify these events in response to changes in the COVID rate.
Sincerely,
Russell O. West
CEO/Superintendent
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NYS Senator Shelley Mayer Visits Lexington |
Lexington was honored to have NYS Senator Shelley Mayer, Chair of the Senate's Committee on Education, as a guest reader in our preschool program on May 19th. Ms. Mayer read The Rainbow Fish by Marcus Pfister and helped the students with a dot painting project. The students asked Ms. Mayer to participate in their survey of favorite spring activities. The choices were: plant flowers, feed ducks, play in the rain, or other. Ms. Mayer selected planting flowers and one student had the privilege of printing the Senator's name and placing it on the survey board.
Thanks to preschool teacher Gianna Hittmann and instructional assistant Chrissy Hayward for arranging a fun visit and to the Honorable Shelley Mayer (37th Senate District) and her Education Committee Director, Georgia Asciutto, for driving to Lexington on a very rainy Thursday morning!
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Senator Mayer (seated right) read to the students while teacher Gianna Hittmann (seated left) signed the story in ASL. |
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Standing (l-r): CEO/Superintendent Russell O. West, Ms. Asciutto, Executive Director of Curriculum & Instruction Jane Moran, Senator Mayer, Ms. Mittmann, CFO Maria Noto, Lower School Principal Catrina Zowak. |
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Astoria World Manor was transformed into a magical setting for Lexington's 2022 Masquerade Prom on May 25th. Congratulations to Prom Queen Leidy Lopez and Runner-Up Prom King David Perez, filling in for the absent Prom King Jesus Abreu. Shaunina Young and Melissa Vigilante, senior class co-advisors, did a fantastic job coordinating decor, food, photography and the DJ. Lexington CEO/Superintendent Russell O. West extended a special thank you to the faculty and staff who helped to make this year's prom a special night for our students!
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Pictured (l-r): Shaunina Young, Leidy Lopez, David Perez, and Melissa Vigilante. |
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Members of Lexington's Foreign Language Transition Classes (FLTC) posed for photos. |
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CFO Maria Noto, Behavioral Specialist Michaia Walker, Supervisor of Student & Family Engagement Carlos Aponte-Salcedo, Jr., and CEO/Superintendent Russell O. West helped at the buffet table. |
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The DJ did a great job getting students on the dance floor for line dances! |
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A huge shout out to our Middle School teachers - Micole Kaplan, Suhanthi Knower, Carol Kretschmer, Lisa Meyer, Angela Pilato, Steven Schneiderman, Astrid Zea - and IAs - Angela Langone, Patricia McKenzie, Theresa Moore, Danielle Paladino, Jason Quezada, Spencer Stelmach, Asela Weeratunga - and students for hosting an amazing carnival on April 29th. The weather was a little cold and windy, but everyone's spirits were high for one of Lexington's favorite middle school traditions. |
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Article by Alison Baade, MS, CCC-SLP Appears in National Publication |
Congratulations to speech-language pathologist Alison Baade, MS, CCC-SLP, for being published in the May edition of the American Speech-Hearing Association's ASHA Leader. Alison's article, "Audism Begins With Education," discusses how graduate coursework can be reframed to minimize audism and reduce harmful myths about the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DHH). To read the article, click here!
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Elementary 3 Celebrates Earth Day |
Students in teacher Susan DiMeglio and IA Jimmy Prinzler's Elementary 3 class celebrated Earth Day by making papier mâché globes. First, they used a circle map to brainstorm different ways class members could help protect the Earth. Then, they recreated Earth using balloons, newspaper, flour, and water.
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Jimmy Prinzler (l), Susan DiMeglio (r), and Elementary Class 3 proudly display their Earth Day projects. |
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Students used a Circle Thinking Map to brainstorm ways to protect the Earth. |
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Lexington's Senior Award celebration was held on May 19th in the school auditorium. Upper School Principal Frank Dattolo served as Master of Ceremonies for the event. Senior Alexandra Quiroz was recognized as the Valedictorian and Alisa Tran was named the Salutatorian. To view a list of all the awardees, click here.
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FLTC student Byron Alfredo Perez received the Most Improved ASL and English Award from teacher Becki Krieg. |
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Upper School Principal Frank Dattolo, Ilhum Haque (recipient of the Donald Galloway Award for Achievement in STEM), and Guidance Counselor Maureen Salloum |
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Melani Diaz (center) received the Technical Award for Excellence in Theatre from teachers Shira Harris and Jared Lopatin. |
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Preschool students have been practicing feeling signs, food signs, clothing signs, and weather signs as part of a series of Facebook Live Storytimes, sponsored by the Queens Public Library. The program featured signing storyteller Kathy MacMillan, the author of the Little Hands Signing series and "Little Hands: Children and Adults Signing Together." |
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Teacher Marian Hart (left) and her class practiced signs as part of the Little Hands Signing program. |
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Preschool 4, teacher MaryJo LoPiccolo Maguire (left) and speech-language pathologist Kezban Mani (right) enjoyed the live storytime. |
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Multicultural Festival Week |
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Lexington's annual Multicultural Festival Week was held May 9th - 13th. For this year's celebration, the planning committee - Jane Kim, Jennifer Spensieri, Paige Polisner, Steven Schneiderman, Carlos Aponte-Salcedo, Jr. - placed bulletin boards, with themes such as clothing, sports, flags, holidays, and natural resources, around the school. Students were encouraged to display and share what they learned about their own and other cultures by posting work on bulletin boards or preparing digital presentations. A big thanks to the Foreign Language Transition Classes - teachers and students - for sharing this video presentation on multicultural foods. |
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Two Lexington students attended the 2022 New England Deaf Disc Golf Junior Championship at King Philip Middle School, Norfolk, Massachusetts on May 25th. The 9-hole course included a balance of open and wooded holes with marked tees and directions. Tournament play consisted of two rounds with 15-20 minute breaks between rounds. The event was sponsored by the New England Deaf Disc Golf Association (NEDDGA). Congratulations to Steven Suber (pictured) for winning first place in the Long Distance event. The team was coached by Amanda Geffen. |
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The Scholastic Book Fair came to Lexington during the week of May 9th - 13th. Students enjoyed browsing the book selections and the "buy one-get one" promotion. A big thank you to the parents and staff who volunteered and made the book fair a success. |
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A big "thank you" to Lexington's supporters at Staples store #171 - Woodside, 51-10 Broadway, Queens. The store and its customers recently donated 372 student school kits, as well as other miscellaneous items, as part of Staples' 2022 Community Give Back Program. Lexington would like to thank Milton (store manager), Melissa Concepcion (general manager), Natalie (supervisor), and Rosario and Mercy (associates) for their work in coordinating this much appreciated donation. |
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Lexington Board of Trustee members - Patrice Creamer; Elisabeth Krents, Ph.D.; Irene W. Leigh, Ph.D.; and Onudeah Nicolarakis, Ph.D. – recently participated in a special Thinking Maps workshop via Zoom. Cindy Roberts Figueroa, Supervisor of Professional Development & Assessment, and Jane Moran, Executive Director of Curriculum and Instruction, facilitated the session. With Lexington positioned to apply for Level 2 Thinking Maps accreditation this year, Ms. Roberts Figueroa has been working with stakeholders throughout the school to increase understanding of how Thinking Maps, a series of visual tools for learning abstract concepts, benefits Lexington’s students.
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2022-2023 Varsity Athletics Letter |
The 2022-2023 Varsity Athletics letter is ready. If families are interested in having their child sign up for next year's sports program, they should contact Carl Sorrentino, Athletic Director, at csorrentino@lexnyc.org and/or call Carl by video relay at 917-832-1749, Spanish and English available. |
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Better Language & Communication Month |
During the month of May, Lexington's Speech and Language Department celebrated Better Hearing & Speech Month, which is also known as Better Language & Communication Month. The department shared information on the role of speech-language pathologists in a school setting and distributed handouts to families to help them understand what speech language pathologists work on during therapy sessions. |
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Teacher & Staff Appreciation Week |
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Teacher & Staff Appreciation Week was held on May 3rd-7th. As part of the celebration, Lexington faculty and staff were treated to a delicious Taco Tuesday lunch served from two food trucks. The celebration continued on Thursday with an Ice Cream & Italian Ice Social. Staff also posted notes of appreciation to one another on a bulletin board. A special thanks to the Staff Appreciation Committee - Carlos Aponte-Salcedo, Jr., Dorothy Corporan-Nieves, Rosemary Estrada, & Jacque Fresolo - for planning such sweet and tasty events in honor of our amazing faculty and staff! |
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Enjoying Taco Tuesday were Patricia Mazorra-Melgar, Joanne Tzortzatos, Laura Cruz, Jessica Sackman and Lori Glick. |
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Staff Appreciation Committee members (l-r): Rosemary Estrada, Dorothy Corporan-Nieves, Jacque Fresolo, and Carlos Aponte-Salcedo, Jr. |
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