The week of the Remembrance Bowl will be an adventure throughout the Locust Valley Central School District.
In the classroom, kindergarten to 12th grade students will be learning about the historical significance of World War II and D-Day in units tailored to each grade by our wonderful faculty. Local families will host high school educators, coaches and school board members from around the country who have been invited to observe and learn how to continue the Remembrance Bowl in their communities. There will be screenings of the mini-documentary “Sixth of June” by director Henry Roosevelt, which tells the story of the D-Day invasion through the eyes of veterans.
On Remembrance Bowl Day, Sept. 23, the homecoming parade kicks off from Centre Island at 11 a.m. with floats, dignitaries and American Legion guests with an official viewing parade section.
Prior to the game, there will be a Remembrance ceremony at Fred Smith Field at 1:30 p.m. followed by a coin toss performed by the American Legion. The game starts at 2 p.m. and afterwards the winning team will sign a football to be placed in Sainte-Mere-Eglise City Hall next to the Remembrance Bowl Trophy. A post-game celebration for all will be held after the game, as well.
Construction on the new Ann MacArthur Primary School Playground begins today. The playground will not be accessible for at least the next 10-14 days while improvements are made ahead of the 2023-2024 school year.
Locust Valley High School will induct Falcons legends Alfred DeStefanis, Robert DeStefanis, Rob McGrorty and John Salvi into the school hall of fame on Sept. 22 in the main gymnasium at 6 p.m.
The ceremony and following complimentary hors d’oeuvres are open to the public. Members of the community can take out ads in the induction program and RSVP to the ceremonies by contacting athletic director Danielle Turner Cosci or John Johnson of LV Falcon Pride Booster Club. Journal ads are due by Aug. 24 and induction ceremony and hors d’oeuvres RSVPs are due by Sept. 15.
Locust Valley High School incoming senior Gianna Palleschi is bringing love, hope and care to breast cancer patients with her charity Pink Pom Pom.
Palleschi was inspired by her mother, a breast surgeon, to brighten the days of patients going through treatment by sending them pink boxes with items such as candles, socks, notepads, pens, bath salts, shower salts, hand lotions, tumblers and inspirational note cards along with a signature pink pom pom keychain.
“I wanted to do my part in helping them navigate their journeys,” Palleschi said. Through calls to her mother’s patients, Palleschi got an understanding of the daunting situation they face and realized that the boxes that she would send should lift their spirits as they battle. The Pink Pom Pom name came from the idea of cheering on cancer patients while also using the color for breast cancer awareness.
In June, Palleschi was named a recipient of the 2023 Nassau County District Attorney SHIELD Award. The SHIELD program highlights high school juniors that display service, honesty, integrity, excellence and leadership to better their community. Palleschi met with Attorney General Anne T. Donnelly during a ceremony on June 27.
Palleschi was also invited to talk about Pink Pom Pom at the Bunchful Future of Philanthropy Summit in September 2022 in New York City. There, Palleschi got to speak to other young philanthropists about how to continue bettering their communities.
Recently, Palleschi donated 15 Pink Pom Pom boxes to the Manhasset Women’s Breast Cancer Coalition and she hopes to continue expanding the program during her senior year. “Every little action can make a difference to patients,” Palleschi says.
When the Locust Valley Falcons and Cold Spring Harbor Seahawks take to Fred Smith Field for the Remembrance Bowl homecoming game on Sept. 23, the teams will stand in for the American troops who liberated France during World War II.
Members of the 101st Airborne Division were not able to play the Champagne Bowl in 1944 to celebrate their victory in France, but decades later the modern unit was able to compete thanks to the efforts of the Patton Foundation and Operation Democracy. Since 2018, members of the 101st and 82nd Airborne Divisions have played a flag football game during D-Day celebrations in Locust Valley’s sister city of Sainte-Mere-Eglise.
The Falcons will take part in the historic first state-side Remembrance Bowl celebration in front of veterans, dignitaries, family and friends.
On Sept. 23, Locust Valley will host the Remembrance Bowl for homecoming. The day will see a parade with veterans and dignitaries and a ceremony to commemorate the brave soldiers who fought to preserve freedom during the Second World War. The game will be the first of its kind played in the United States.
In the aftermath of the war, Locust Valley’s Operation Democracy helped send aid to the war-torn village of Sainte-Mere-Eglise, France. The name “Locust Valley” became legendary in the town, as the wife of the mayor known as the Mother of Normandy penned a poem dedicated to our home.
Sainte-Mere-Eglise was one of the first places in France retaken by Allied forces on D-Day. Later in 1944, the men of the 101st Airborne Division planned a celebratory football game, the Champagne Bowl, for Christmas Day, but before the game could be played the men were called to Belgium to finish the war in Europe at the Battle of the Bulge. Many of the men who planned the game never returned home.
In May of 2018, Patton Legacy Sports was formed by Helen Ayer Patton (General Patton’s granddaughter) and Michelle Strauss to honor General Patton’s athletic and Olympic legacy. The organization worked with the 101st and 82nd Airborne Divisions to finally hold a game in Sainte-Mere-Eglise and the Game That Never Happened was played as the Remembrance Bowl.
To learn more about the festivities, sponsorship opportunities and more, go to https://lvremembrancebowl.com.
Seven Locust Valley High School students were named Eagle Scouts during their court of honor ceremony at St. Gertrude’s Parish Center on July 19.
Boy Scout Troop 176 members Chais Domin, Sebastian Darrah, Samuel Huysman, Louis Singe and Dylan Sylwester and Troop 253 members Aidan Domin and Sam Montavani helped their communities with projects such as creating bat boxes at Coffin Woods Preserve, documenting the fire hydrant locations for the Bayville Fire Department and building osprey net platforms at West Harbor Beach.
Each Eagle Scout received their neckerchiefs from their fellow troop members and gave their parents and role models pins to thank them for their support over the years.
Another amazing school year is right around the corner! The 2023-2024 district calendar is now available for digital download and will be mailed out to residents in August.
Summer Recreation campers from kindergarten to fifth grade wore their favorite teams’ jerseys to camp on July 18 for “Fan-tastic Day” at Bayville Primary. The children played games such as capture the flag, kickball, battleship and tug of war. Coach Michael Gilbert, teachers, counselors and counselors-in-training set up the games, made sure everything ran smoothly and even had their own tug of war matchup to end the day as the campers cheered them on.
The summer edition of Soundwaves is now available to view on the Locust Valley district website at Newsletters | Locust Valley Central School District (locustvalleyschools.org). Read about the high school’s Class of 2023 graduation ceremonies, the elementary and middle school graduations and moving-up ceremonies and dedicated staff who retired and attained tenure.
The Locust Valley Central School District welcomed three new members to its board of education at the reorganization meeting on July 10. New trustees Matthew Barnes, Nicholas J. DellaFera and Holly Gaddy Esteves and re-elected trustee Lauren Themis started their terms on Monday evening.
Margaret Marchand was re-elected as president of the board, while Lauren Themis was voted the vice president. Dr. Kristen Turnow took her oath of office as the district’s new superintendent of schools.
Join the LVCSD team!
Locust Valley High School students helped a family in Riverhead construct their dream home in May and June as part of the Habitat for Humanity Student Build program.
The Student Build program gives students a hands-on opportunity to serve communities through fundraising events and building with a construction team on a worksite. During the build events in May and June, students and adviser Bidania Criscuolo met with the homeowner and prepared new flooring, tiled and grouted the bathroom, measured and installed panels and window casings, put down topsoil and leveled and seeded the lawn. It was a day full of hard, but rewarding work that was greatly appreciated by the homeowner.
Locust Valley students held a fundraiser during the school’s International Night in late March to donate funds for this build and a future build, as well.
As of July 2023, the Locust Valley Central School District has switched to the Apptegy communication platform. Parents can update their contact information at any time in the eSchool Parent Portal. Texts will now come from 98900. If you have any questions, please email parentportal@locustvalleyschools.org.
Watch the Locust Valley High School graduation ceremony here on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NIm9MWeAsu8.
Locust Valley High School seniors gathered on Fred Smith Field on May 30 for the annual Flags for Freedom ceremony. This important event is a collaboration between the district and Operation Democracy to honor veterans and active military men and women.
Veterans from Bayville American Legion Robert H. Spittel Post 1285 and Locust Valley American Legion Howard Van Wagner Post 962 served as honored guests. Veterans and active military members gifted students with a trifolded American flag along with a copy of the U.S. Constitution and Declaration of Independence. The ceremony helps students understand the importance of the flag as a symbol of freedom.
The ceremony continues the district’s longstanding relationship with Operation Democracy and commitment to educating students on the sacrifices members of our military have made throughout our history. Over the summer, educators will create the Remembrance Project curriculum focusing on American involvement in and patriotism during World War II for the 2023-2024 school year.
Throughout June, the district’s elementary schools and Locust Valley Middle School celebrated graduations and moving-up ceremonies celebrating students for their hard work this year. Students wrote and read poems and speeches and sang songs about their experiences and love for their schools. While they will enter new buildings in the fall, the memories and friends they made this school year will join them in the next stage of their academic journey.
Thank you to all faculty and staff, as well, for helping these students learn, grow and prepare them for the next chapter of their lives.
Locust Valley High School students traveled to the Swan Club On The Harbor in Roslyn for their prom on June 12, and to help preserve the memories of the big night, attendees are invited to visit https://charondesigns.smugmug.com/LVProm-2023/ to view photos captured during prom. A School Messenger email will be sent out with the password to view, download or purchase photos. If you have any questions, please contact Juli Charon at designjcc@yahoo.com.
Despite forecasts, the weather held out for the Locust Valley High School Class of 2023 for graduation ceremony on the morning of June 24. One hundred seventy-nine seniors dressed in green and white gowns with colorful cords symbolizing all their accomplishments marched onto Fred Smith Field to the cheers of their friends and family and music provided by the school band.
Once the students were seated, concert chorale opened the ceremony and entertained the large crowd in the bleachers with performances of the national anthem and “In My Life” by The Beatles. Student speakers Aria Khwaja, Edilberto Rivas Cruz, class president Evan Shriberg, salutatorian Clare Simon and valedictorian Alisha Uduevbo spoke of the resiliency their class showed throughout their four years. Principal Patrick DiClemente and Acting Superintendent of Schools Janine Sampino also shared some words of wisdom with the class, reminding them to embrace the opportunities that come before them and that Locust Valley will always remain their home.
After the speeches, each member of the graduating class was called up to the dais and received their diploma from DiClemente.
To conclude the ceremony, DiClemente told the graduates to turn their tassels, marking their move from students to the district’s latest group of alumni. As a testament to the togetherness of this class, the turf field remained packed with students embracing after the caps were tossed and the ceremony was finished. The Class of 2023 will remain part of the Falcon Family forever!
June 23, 2023
Dear Locust Valley School Community:
The high school Graduation of the Class of 2023 is tomorrow Saturday, June 24th at 11am.
Update related to Weather
Our plan continues to be an outdoor graduation ceremony at 11am on the Fred Smith Field at Locust Valley Middle/High School.
At this time, the forecast for Graduation day reflects temperatures approximately 80 degrees with rain clearing early morning.
We are prepared for an outdoor ceremony and expect a beautiful event.
No ticket is needed for an outdoor ceremony. Seating is offered in the bleachers and on the track area. Graduates are seated on the field.
Given uncertain weather circumstances, outdoor streaming equipment will be modified. Video taping of the event will occur and will be published to our Locust Valley HS Film and TV Youtube account.
Our ceremony is traditionally between 1:05 and 1:30 minutes.
We will continue to monitor the weather forecast through the evening and into the morning. In the event of poor weather continuing into the late morning, we are prepared if necessary to move the ceremony indoors. If the ceremony is indoors it will be in the auditorium with attendance limited to ticketed guests. Guests must be prepared with tickets in order to enter; graduates and on-stage guests do not need a ticket. Capacity is limited in the auditorium.
If We Host An Indoor Ceremony…
Tickets are needed to enter the auditorium. Alternative viewing locations are available without tickets – the mini-theater and ms/hs cafeteria.
To support family, friends, and staff interested in viewing the ceremony but unable to attend, we will provide a web-based live stream presentation of the ceremony. The livestream will be published to our Locust Valley HS Film and TV Youtube account and posted on our website.
Live stream available at: (https://www.youtube.com/@locustvalleyhsfilmandtv7373)
Graduation is a special event for the graduates, families, and our school community. Congratulations to all involved students, families, staff, and community members. We are closely monitoring the forecast. If we make any changes, we will inform you as early as possible tomorrow. Thank you for your cooperation and support.
Patrick DiClemente, Lisa Czerniecki, Jennifer Masa
Locust Valley High School Administration
