Great Neck schools highlight student-led initiatives from play to service at board meeting

Representatives from Great Neck Union Free School District’s shared decision-making committees presented a series of student-centered initiatives and yearlong goals during the Board of Education meeting on June 17.

The reports, delivered by parents, teachers and student co-chairs from multiple buildings, described programs intended to advance social-emotional learning, student leadership, and community service across the district.

Parkville School presenters said their primary goal for the year was participating in the Global Day of Play on Feb. 1. A Parkville speaker described stations that included games exploring emotions and teamwork led by school psychologists, calming yoga run by the social worker, and a STEAM station run by school technology staff; students also had extra recess and unplugged board-game time. The presenter quoted Fred Rogers: “play is really the work of childhood,” to summarize the day’s focus on creative, social and developmental learning.

At Ian Baker School, parent co-chair Ally Saperstein and teacher co-chair Kathleen Murtaugh said the committee focused on cultivating student responsibility and citizenship. They described a leadership word cloud created from family and student surveys and a cross-grade buddy program with Parkville, in which fifth graders modeled listening and cooperation for younger students.

At JFK Elementary, co-chairs Stacey Grimm and Dan Rad described a shared-decision-making book club. Grimm said the group read Jonathan Haidt’s The Anxious Generation and that conversations led to the school’s screen-free weekend challenge during Mental Health Awareness Month.

Lakeville’s committee framed its work as “from me to we,” focusing on three strands: independence and resilience through a planned “Lehi Grow” initiative; a community campaign encouraging families to delay smartphones until at least eighth grade, including a parent event called Connect to Disconnect; and hands-on service visits by second- and fourth-grade classes to local senior centers.

Saddle Rock co-chairs Julie Golden and Dr. Gabriela Duke described a year of service learning connected to the UN Sustainable Development Goal of zero hunger. Students partnered with Saint Aloysius’ food pantry and the Gold Coast Rotary to pack more than 10,000 meals at a February event; the school also hosted a clothing pantry night and a jumpathon that raised more than $2,100 in scholarships.

Student presenters from North Middle described a schoolwide effort to define what it means to be a “Blazer,” creating an acrostic with adjectives chosen in a five-week vote that drew roughly 550 responses. South Middle students described an advisory-jar project, which collected peer-submitted coping skills and placed jars around the school for anonymous, on-demand support.

At the high school level, Great Neck North described a new “Senior Serve” day on May 29 in which nearly every graduating senior participated in community service projects across Great Neck; organizers said groups of 15–20 students were assigned to local parks, schools and nonprofits and that staff and parents helped secure transportation and supervise sites. South High reported continued use of therapy dogs and a district-supported online test-prep program, Methodized, which school leaders said has helped students raise SAT scores; South High leaders said they hope to offer in-person, reduced-rate classes next year.

Speakers across buildings credited shared decision-making committees with strengthening family–school ties and expanding student leadership opportunities. Board members and administrators who addressed the presenters praised volunteer involvement and encouraged more parents and students to participate in the committees moving forward.

The presentations were followed by standard agenda items including recognitions, minutes approval and policy votes later in the meeting.