WSS Graduation Video Part 1 of 6

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State and Local Leaders Honor Washington Street School

On June 10, 2009 political leaders from state and local governments visited the Washington Street School to celebrate and recognize the efforts of the school in the success of a year-long "Cool to Care" initiative designed to help make a positive impact on the lives of others. Recently, the school was contacted by Governor Paterson's office, and asked if Mr. Galen Kirkland, Commissioner of the New York State Office of Human Rights, could visit and present Dr. Vincent Butera, Principal, with an award for the school's efforts in helping to promote the message of human rights for all.

Among other notable leaders who spoke at the celebration were Nassau County legislator Mr. Vincent Muscarella, Town of Hempstead Supervisor Ms. Kate Murray, and Hempstead Coucnilman Mr. Ed Ambrosino.

The celebration began with the a poignant rendition of a poem by sixth grade student Brenda Darcy that detailed the happenings of the past year. The poem, which was accompanied by pictures and music, drew loud applause from the nearly 800 persons in attendance.

This visit is a wonderful culmination to a year-long commitment to make WSS one of the kindest schools in America. This effort began with the Red Ribbon Week unveiling of the “Be a Buddy – Not a Bully" and "It’s Cool to Care” initiatives, which were both designed to encourage parents, staff, and students to make a positive impact on the lives of others.

Early in the school year, the sixth grade, led by sixth grade representative Mrs. Teresa Weegar, began making this goal a reality as they partnered with the Starlight Foundation, which provides programs and services to sick children in local hospitals. What has occurred since has no doubt proved true the adage that kindness does indeed breed kindness as students, staff, and parents have worked together to benefit numerous organizations including:



The Starlight Foundation
Camp Anchor
Toys for Tots
NY Blood Center
Soles4Souls
Ozanam Hall Nursing Home
Orzac Senior Citizen Center
Long Island Cares
Locks for Love
Newsday Charities
Interfaith Nutrition Network
National Cleaner's Association Coat Drive
Footsteps Learning Center
Ronald McDonald House
North Shore Hospital
St. Catherine of Sienna's Outreach Program

Congratulations to the entire Washington Street School community for a most rewarding accomplishment.

WSS Student Organizes Locks of Love Campaign

This year my aunt was diagnosed with cancer.  Over the past few months my mom, Lisa, has been helping her in more ways than you can count.  As I watched my mom perform all of these good deeds, I felt that I should do something to help cancer patients.  During my aunt's chemo therapy, she started losing her hair.  I thought that it must be so painful to be fighting cancer and watching your hair fall out.  That is why most cancer patients need wigs.  And the only way that wigs can be made, is by other people donating their hair.  So, I decided to start a hair drive.  We decided to donate the hair to Locks of Love because they make wigs for children.  Our hair drive was held on May 20th.  It turned out to be a huge success!  Fifty-seven students, parents and teachers donated their hair.  From those fifty-seven ponytails, only about six wigs can be made.  That is why it is extremly important to donate your hair.  So, as soon as your hair is long enough please donate it to Locks of Love. It will guarantee a smile on a sick child's face!
                                                                                      By Victoria Pitz

NYS Commisioner of Office of Human Rights Galen Kirkland to Visit and Honor WSS for "It's Cool to Care" Initiative

On June 10, 2009, Commissioner Gale Kirkland of the New York State Office of Human Rights will visit the Washington Street School in Franklin Square, NY to recognize our efforts in spreading the message of kindness.

This visit is a culmination of a year-long effort on the part of so many to make WSS one of the kindest schools in America. This effort began with the Red Ribbon Week unveiling of the “Be a Buddy – Not a Bully" and "It’s Cool to Care” initiatives, which were both designed to encourage parents, staff, and students to make a positive impact on the lives of others.

Early in the school year, the sixth grade, led by sixth grade representative Mrs. Teresa Weegar, began making this goal a reality as they partnered with the Starlight Foundation, which provides programs and services to sick childen in local hospitals. What has occurred since has no doubt proved true the adage that kindness does indeed breed kindness as students, staff, and parents have worked together to benefit numerous organizations including:


The Starlight Foundation
Camp Anchor
Toys for Tots
NY Blood Center
Soles4Souls
Ozanam Hall Nursing Home
Orzac Senior Citizen Center
Long Island Cares
Newsday Charities
Locks of Love
Interfaith Nutrition Network
National Cleaner's Association Coat Drive
Footsteps Learning Center
Ronald McDonald House
North Shore Hospital
St. Catherine of Sienna's Outreach Program


These efforts, in addition to our commitment to reward, spotlight, and honor our students whose actions reflect the virtues of kindness, empathy, and compassion have resulted in an honor in which we take great pride.

A special thank you to the WSS PTA for their continued support of our efforts to make a difference in the lives of children, as well as to all those who gave of themselves throughout the year on this most rewarding endeavor.

Washington Street School Students Welcome Pen Pals from Schwarting Elementary School

Mrs. Connors' class learned how to write a friendly letter by writing to "Pen-pals" from the Schwarting Elementary School in the Plainedge School District. Sending their letters was easy because Dr.Butera and his son David acted as their personal mail carriers since David is in first grade at Schwarting Elementary School. His teacher Mrs. Connolly, and Mrs. Connors are very proud of their students' writing ability and hope the students continue their pen-pal friendships. We hope you enjoy the video of their "Pen-Pal Picnic". Meeting their new friends was great!!

WSS Celebrates Disability Awareness Day

On Monday, May 11th, Washington Street School continued its support of the Camp Anchor program by educating students about Autism. Grade level presentations for students in grades 3-6 were conducted by Dr. Stephanie Baglici. The presentations, included a spotlight of 25 famous individuals who have overcome various disabilities, a reading of the award winning story about a child with Autism, My Best Friend Will , a Question and Answer PowerPoint presentation, as well as an inspirational video voted by ESPN as the most inspirational sports story of the year.

Children in grades K-2 were read the award winning book, Looking After Louis, and made puzzle ribbons which will adorn the school.

On May 12th all students will receive WSS "It's Cool to Care" T-shirts, with a puzzle ribbon on the front, in honor of our commitment to Camp Anchor as well as all students with disabilities. Students will also be encouraged to wear these shirts to the Fun Run on June 6th, as well as a soon to be announced special event.

Special thanks to SEPTA and the WSS PTA for purchasing these shirts for our students and for their support of this most worthwhile initiative. Thank you also to Dr. Baglici and Mr. Tomack who helped put together this wonderful presentation.

Mrs. Miles' Kindergarten Students Wish Every WSS Mom a HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY

WSS 5th Graders Help Make 2nd Annual Blood Drive a Success

Did you know that approximately 38,000 pints of blood are needed every day in the United States? Well, Washington Street School’s fifth graders held a blood drive to help. We asked our family, friends, teachers, and neighbors to donate blood at our April 7th blood drive. As participants in the Little Doctors program, we made posters, wore scrubs, wrote thank you cards, and assisted at the drive. Almost 100 pints of blood were collected. It was a great experience for all of the fifth graders. When we turn sixteen, we’ll get to donate blood too!

Alexis O’Sullivan

A Spotlight on Students Caught Caring

Enjoy this musical tribute to 50 special students, whose various acts of kindness have earned them a spotlight on the bulletin board in our main lobby. This musical celebration also includes pictures of so many individuals whose actions have made Washington Street School a place where it truly is Cool to Care.

WSS Continues Effort to Benefit Camp Anchor

On April 4th Camp Anchor held its 2nd Annual Walk-A-Thon. This is the second of several events which will allow Washington Street School to support Camp Anchor in its goal of building a permanent facility, thus allowing them to provide year round services and programs for students with disabilities.

KDG Students Celebrate Earth Day

Troop 1025 Collects Shoes for Needy Families

Troop 1025 from Washington Street School collected over 300 pairs of used shoes in our school. The shoes will go to impoverished and disaster stricken areas through the Soles4Souls program. Great job to the girls from troop 1025 and everyone who brought in shoes. Thank you Mrs. Gioia and all those who help show that "It' s cool to care"

Parents and Staff Help Benefit Camp Anchor

On March 27th, parents, staff, and students, joined together for the 1st Annual Parent-Staff Basketball game which benefitted Camp Anchor. Those in attendance witnessed a fun night of basketball. The event which was organized by Mrs. Cheryl Scarry, Mr. Sean Boyle, and Mrs. Rudolph helped raise over $1200.00 for Camp Anchor. This event is the first of many benefitting this wonderful organization. For more information on this initiative, please refer to the blog posting of March 17th.

Thank you to all the parents and staff who donated their time and effort. You continue to make WSS a place where "It's Cool to Care."

WSS Students Collect Towels and Toiletries for Local Group

Brownie Girl Scout Troop 1006 collected very needed toiletries for the INN (Interfaith Nutrition Network), which is a local not-for-profit, volunteer-based organization with a dedicated staff. They offer a broad base of community support and help the hungry and homeless of Long Island by providing food, shelter, long-term housing and supportive services ina dignified and respectful manner for those who seek their help.

Thank you to all the parents and students who gave of their time and effort to benefit needy families in our area.

Ms. Howell's 4th grade students help spread Anti-Bully message

Inspired by their own desire to continue the postive messages of this year's "Cool to Care" initiative, students in Ms. Howell's 4th grade class created their own anit-bully song, which they performed for Dr. Butera. Tour details are still being worked on. Great Job 4-H!

Grade 2 Takes Part in Anti-Bullying Workshop

As part of our year-long effort to promote appropriate behavior among our students, Washington Street School's 2nd grade students took part in an anti-bullying initiative with Kathleen Proctor from Applebaum Training Institute, who spoke about ways of combating bully behavior. Funding for this program was provided from a federal grant. After each session was complete, all 2nd grade students gathered together to reinforce the message through song.

WSS Partners With CAMP ANCHOR

"Intelligence plus character, that is the true goal of education."

The wisdom in these words is as relevant today as they were when they were uttered nearly 50 years ago by Martin Luther King, Jr.

In keeping with this focus, I am also pleased to announce the beginning of our partnership with CAMP ANCHOR (Answering the Needs of Citizens with Handicaps through Organized Recreation). This special organization offers several programs for those with disabilities throughout the year, including a summer camp, which is held at Lido Beach. Each summer, brightly colored tents are set up where various activities are hosted for campers. Participants are offered accommodating facilities and are able to enjoy activities such as swimming in the pool and ocean, dance, music, arts and crafts, ceramics, and home economics. Dedicated volunteers (including some of our very own WSS staff) call this place home during the summer.

This year is the 40th anniversary for Camp ANCHOR and the program continues to grow in size! There are an overwhelming amount of participants including a wait list for potential campers and volunteers. In order to accommodate more campers and expand this amazing program, ANCHOR has been fundraising for the past few years in hopes to construct a "building of their own" at Lido Beach.

Washington Street School will help Camp Anchor through a series of education/fundraising activities as detailed below. We welcome you to participate in any of the fundraising events detailed below. Please feel free to visit the school webpage and click on the anchor link in the center for a detailed description of this initiative. We will feature pictures on our website throughout the initiative, which will culminate on June 6th at our 3rd WSS Annual Fun Run.

The following is a description of some of the many events planned.

March 18th
• Joe Lentini from Camp Anchor will visit students in grades 3-6 to show promotional video of Camp Anchor and discuss their mission.


March 27th
• Staff/Parent Basketball tournament will be held as kick-off to fundraising for Camp Anchor. Each team will contribute $40.00 to enter this fun-filled tournament with proceeds going directly to Camp Anchor.

April 1st-30th
• Grade level presentations will be made to students in grades 3 through 6 discussing special needs, with the goal of fostering an understanding of the differences among us.

• SEPTA has purchased and donated children’s books related to students with special needs, which will be read to students in grades K-2

April 4th
• WSS will gather at Camp Anchor to participate in their 2nd annual Walk-A-Thon which is designed to help with the construction of a facility that will allow for services and programs to be provided to children year-round. All are welcome.

June 6th
• The 3rd annual fun run will take place at WSS. Along with helping to defray the cost of renting the race clock, proceeds from the race will be donated to Camp Anchor.

Thank you.

A Spotlight on Students Caught Caring

Enjoy this musical tribute to 43 special students, whose various acts of kindness have earned them a spotlight on the bulletin board in our main lobby. This musical celebration will be modified and additional students added as we help make WSS one of the kindest schools in America.

6th Grade Students Buddy Up with their Kindergarten Friends

Mrs. Sollenne’s kindergarteners and their sixth grade buddy-class got together to read poetry and create Valentine’s Day crafts. Working side by side is a monthly event that everyone enjoys. - Mrs. Drosman

Washington Street School Becomes a "Bucket Filling School"

During the week of February 8th, 34 sixth grade students visited each classroom at Washington Street School to spread the message of the children's book, "Have You Filled a Bucket Today? (A Guide to Daily Happiness for Kids)" by Carol McCloud. The premise of the book is that we all carry an invisible bucket that contains our feelings. When our bucket is filled , we feel great. When our bucket is empty, we feel sad.

A bucket filler is someone who says or does nice things for other people, gives hugs and compliments and generally spreads their good feelings to others without being asked. By doing this, they are filling other people's buckets and filling their own at the same time.

On the other hand, a bucket dipper says or does things to cause other people to feel badly. A bucket dipper empties the buckets of others when they say or do mean things.

Help us fill the buckets of all our students, by posting your stories of those individuals who continue to make the lives of others better by being "Bucket Fillers". You can do so by clicking on the comment link underneath this posting.

Thank you to the WSS PTA who so generously purchased a copy of the book for each classroom.

Sixth Grade Students Spread Cheer to Senior Citizens at Ozanam Hall Nursing Home

On December 29th, twelve of my friends and I went to Ozanam Hall to perform a holiday concert for the residents. We chose Ozanam Hall because my grandma lives there. As you know, Mrs. Drosman’s class went to a nursing home to play music for them. My mom, Denise Morfesi, went on our class trip and that gave her the idea of performing a concert for my grandma’s nursing home. It was a lot of fun. All the residents enjoyed it so much. We even saw some people getting out of their seats and starting to dance. We also saw some wheelchairs rocking! When we were finished, we gave each person a flower. We made so many people happy that day. And we all enjoyed it so much. Thanks to my friends…Laura Bennet and Josephine Accetturi on the flutes. Victoria Pitz, Alyssa Jacobs, Olivia Demiglio and Kaite Young played the clarinets. On the saxophones were Mary Pierce, Jenna Turato, Victoria Pitz, Alyssa Jacobs and me, MIkayla Morfesi. Our trumpet players were Jeannine Impellizzieri and Keva Moore. Brenda Darcy played the bass guitar, and last but not least, Jessica Sorrentino on the drums. It made us feel great to see smiles on their faces. This trip was amazing, and I will never forget it and neither will my friends.

Mikayla Morfesi

A Spotlight on Students Caught Caring

Enjoy this "inaugurally inspired" musical tribute to 34 special students, whose various acts of kindness have earned them a spotlight on the bulletin board in our main lobby. As an added bonus, we have also included the grade level winners of the WSS Kindness Poster contest. The work of these students as well as that of many others can be found along the walls of our school.

This musical celebration will be modified and additional students added as we help make WSS one of the kindest schools in America.

Washington Street School Celebrates 2nd Annual "Soup-er Bowl"

On Friday, January 30th students and staff participated in the 2nd annual SouperBowl. Students and staff donated over 650 cans of soup for Long Island Cares, which provides food for needy families. The week long collection was capped with a special recess period where students and staff took turns kicking or throwing a football through a field goal post constructed for this special event. Thank you to Ms. Campagna, Mr. Soupios, and Mr. Stella for helping to organize this fun event, and to all the staff members who participated.

Sixth Grade Students Visit Ronald McDonald House

During the week of January 26th, sixth grade students went on a field trip to the Ronald McDonald House, an organization whose mission is to create, find and support programs that directly improve the health and well-being of children by providing a place for families to stay when their child is in a hospital far from home. The following description is brought to you courtesy of Angelica Velez and Alicia McGowan.

We took a tour of the building and talked about the families that come there. Most families were not from another country but sometimes people come from around the world. Our class donated some items to the foundation such as travel-sized toothpaste and aluminum foil.

Inside the lobby, there was a lounge with a giant doll house and big, comfy couches. There are 42 bedrooms, 2 Kosher Kitchens, 8 kitchen stations, 5 laundry rooms, and a library. It's located on the campus of the Long Island Jewish Medical Center and just a short walk to the Schneider Children's Hospital. This is the 100th McDonald House in the world and there are 277 Houses in total. Each bedroom is equipped with 2 full sized beds, 1 full bathroom, 1 desk, 1 closet, 1 hairdryer, and 1 laundry basket. There are even signs written in Braille for blind guests. There are 120 volunteers and 9 employees currently working. James was our tour guide. He gave us information about the house. The House had a Jets and Mets room complete with signed memorabilia. Sometimes players from the teams come to meet the families.

We learned about a girl named Noora that went to the Schneider Children's Hospital. When Noora wasn't under treatment, she would host costume parties to entertain the guests at the House. Unfortunately, Noora passed away at the age of nineteen. In one of the many playrooms in the house, there is a wardrobe called Noora's Closet that contains all of her costumes. The wardrobe is locked so nobody can disturb any of her belongings.

We strongly recommend taking a visit to this wonderful home away from home. This wonderful organization helps the families of sick children. If you are looking to donate to an organization that helps sick children and their families, please consider the The Ronald McDonald House.

By Alicia McGowan and Angelica Velez