It has been a busy last few days of summer in Locust Valley. On Aug. 30, incoming sixth grade students and their parents were greeted by the new middle school principal Michael Cestaro and our amazing faculty for orientation. Students met their teachers and got a tour of the building, while Mr. Cestaro introduced himself and spoke to parents about everything from technology to, the daily schedule and exciting events this year.
Incoming kindergartners and third graders played with their friends and made new ones at the Bayville Primary, Bayville Intermediate and Locust Valley Intermediate meet and greets on Aug. 28. Students took to the playgrounds, while parents reconnected with each other and got to speak to their building principals ahead of the first day of school on Sept. 6.
Ann MacArthur Primary and Bayville Primary will host prekindergarten meet and greets on Aug. 31.
With another school year comes another set of amazing courses through Continuing Education in Locust Valley. Play fun games like Mah-jongg and canasta, learn about important Social Security benefits and will and estate planning, or get active with volleyball and yoga.
In-person enrollment in on one night only on Wednesday, Sept. 6, from 6-8 p.m. at the high school. You can also register before Wednesday, Sept. 13 by sending in the form attached to the catalogue which was mailed out to residents and is available at the Continuing Education section of the district site. Late registration is available up to one week prior to the start of each class.
Please call Wendy Pierno at (516) 277-5541 or email at wpierno@locustvalleyschools.org if you have any questions about class availability or registration.
The Locust Valley Falcons started practice this week as they prepare for the 2023 season and the Remembrance Bowl against Cold Spring Harbor High School on Sept. 23. Catch their first home game on Sept. 9 at 2 p.m. vs. West Hempstead High School!
School may not be back yet, but the high school and middle school garden clubs and supervisor Tina Hament are tending to the schools’ gardens. Recently, the students picked garlic from the gardens and cooked Swiss chard. The club meets Mondays at 9:30 a.m. and Wednesdays at 1:30 p.m. and all are welcome.
You can help make the Remembrance Bowl a spectacle by donating to, underwriting or sponsoring the event. All options are available at www.lvremembrancebowl.com/sponsorship-opportunities and click “Donate here” to contribute to the High School Parents Council here: https://my.cheddarup.com/c/homecoming2023?cart=b6fd3e3b-4530-4b95-8c31-2b21759c0f5a%21%2160073650.
Event underwriters will have their names displayed throughout the festivities, such as the kick-off luncheon, jersey signing ceremony and parade breakfast and in the commemorative program. Sponsors can get swag bags, journal ad space and more.
Have your name etched in history as we lead the way for future Remembrance Bowls throughout the country.
The Locust Valley Middle School Parents Council invites all incoming sixth graders for an end-of-summer beach party on Aug. 30 at Soundside Beach in Bayville immediately following orientation. Please RSVP at https://6th-beachparty.cheddarup.com. The rain date is Aug. 31.
If you have any questions, please contact Lorie Minicozzi at lvmspcloriem@gmail.com
As Locust Valley prepares to host the Remembrance Bowl and discuss the historical significance of the D-Day invasion in the classroom, one mini-documentary is a must watch for district families. Henry Roosevelt’s “Sixth of June” tells the story of the beginning on the liberation of France through veterans who lived through it. Through the story, we see how their sacrifices gave opportunity for generations of people, like those in our sister city Sainte-Mere-Eglise, to live freely.
“In this small place, there are probably more American flags flown than any other piece of real estate in the United States at any day of the year,” D-Day historian and Retired U.S. Army Col. Keith M. Nightingale said.
Go to the website: Sixth of June Film (sixofjune.com) to view the film. The film will also be screened the week of the Remembrance Bowl. Parental discretion is advised, as the film is intended for mature audiences.
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.
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.
