Massapequa School Board Looks at Code of Conduct

This story was posted by Edward Robinson. It was written by Chris Boyle.

The Massapequa School District held a Code of Conduct Hearing at this week’s Board of Education, addressing sweeping changes in how New Yorkschools are handling the threat of bullying and discrimination among students. 

Filling in for Charles Sulc, who will retire at the end of the month, Lucille Iconis got a taste for her upcoming duties as the Superintendent of Schools’ successor by overseeing this week’s meeting, which included a Code of Conduct presentation by Assistant to the Superintendent Thomas Fasano.

The Code of Conduct Hearing covered new changes to the District’s policies based on New York State’s adoption of the Dignity for all Students Act and it’s subsequent revisions, signed into law by New York Governor Andrew Cuomo in September 2010 and taking effect in July 2012. 

“The purpose of the proposed amendments is to significantly expand the scope and intent of the Dignity Act to include provisions on bullying and cyber-bullying,” he said. “It’s also to make the Act applicable in certain instances to conduct occurring off school property.”

The Dignity for all Students Act, as defined by New York State, seeks to provide students with a safe environment free of discrimination, bullying, and harassment, and the Massapequa School District is doing everything it can to adhere to the letter of this important law, Fasano said. 

“Massapequa Schools has always been aggressive when it comes to incidents of bullying, even when it may occur off of school grounds,” he said. “All these new revisions are doing is just putting that into black and white.”

Fasano covered recent amendments made to the law, which include instructional requirements for both teachers and students, codes of conduct, required reporting of incidents, and policies, guidelines, and training.

BOE President Maryanne Fisher noted that the proposed revisions to Massapequa Schools’ Code of Conduct will be decided upon at the next public session of the Board.

“We will vote on the adoption of the revised Code of Conduct on June 20, our next meeting,” she said. 

A presentation was also held on the upcoming plan next year at Berner Middle School to adopt a so-called a "house structure." 

Described as a "a school within a school,” the new system will take the school's current six and a half team student structure and divide them into thirds, putting two teams in each house; all students would have two sets of teachers for each core course. Guidance counselors and other staff would follow students from grade to grade, providing much-needed continuity as children transition between Elementary and High School, according to Iconis. 

“This will give our students 21st Century learning skills,” she said. “It will also help to prepare them for the Common Core Learning Standards.” 

Berner Principal Jason Esposito stated that this new "house structure" is just another step in his school’s successful approach for achieving high-level education for the children under his watch. 

“As we go forward into the house structure, we want to maintain the benefits of the teams,” he said. “We want to make sure that we maximize the abilities of each individual student.” The next meeting of the Massapequa Board of Education is scheduled forJune 20 at 8 p.m.