At the Sept. 10 meeting of the Baldwin Union Free School District Board of Education, district administrators reported a 98% graduation rate for the Class of 2025 and presented summaries of the district’s summer programs, which they said served several hundred students across grade levels.

District presenter Dr. Rangiefo told the board that the 2025 graduation rate was 98% and that “100% of our diploma seeking seniors did graduate,” while noting cohort and subgroup measures were included in the district’s accounting of the figure. He also said more than half the graduating class earned an advanced Regents diploma and that the district saw an increase of about 225 Advanced Placement exams administered — roughly a 23% jump, according to the presentation.

Administrators described multiple summer programs and enrollment figures. The middle-school summer enrichment coordinator, Miss Lait, said her program enrolled 125 students and provided 90 minutes each of ELA and math instruction daily during a 20-day, in-person summer session. Lait said sixth graders read Code Talker and We Are the Ship and worked on a grade-level essential question; seventh graders read Twice Toward Justice to support literacy and civic content.

Meadow School presenters said the district’s E and L (English-language instructional staff) program served about 100 students over a month this summer and that Title III grants funded field trips for secondary students (Bethpage Village Restoration and a visit referenced in the slides as the “Bridal of Aviation”) and elementary students (Jones Beach and White Post Farms). The presenter said the E and L program expanded to eight fully staffed classes this year, up from four or five in prior years.

The Extended School Year (ESY) Special Education program was described as the largest the presenter had overseen: 11 fully staffed classes, with the presenter citing “our eight-one-one life school students, and our fifteen-one enrichment students” in the transcripted remarks. The program aims to reduce regression and maintain student progress across life skills, math and reading.

High school summer offerings focused on credit recovery and Regents review. Miss Abby Handler, who said she led the high school summer program, reported 297 students enrolled across 434 course seats; courses included credit recovery, Regents review and electives such as art and health. The presentation noted teachers used the high school learning collaboratory and the library media specialist to support instruction.

The district’s Fine and Performing Arts Summer Enrichment Partnership — run in collaboration with the Baldwin Friends of Music and Art and the Atlantic Wind Symphony Incorporated — served 87 students across art, strings, theater and band, according to the arts presenter. The arts program included morning-to-afternoon sessions and end-of-program performances and exhibitions.

Board members and presenters emphasized that many summer programs began with spring identification and planning and credited staff, facilities and parent volunteers for supporting the expanded offerings. In response to a question from a board member, presenters clarified that “E and L” refers to instructors (English-language instructional staff) while “ELL” refers to English language learner students.

The presentation tied the summer work to year-round outcomes: presenters and a board member said the summer programs contribute to strong graduation and AP outcomes and help close subgroup gaps.

The district also told the board that it will continue to publicize program information and photos on the district website’s capital improvements and facilities pages and to update program pages over the school year.

Board members thanked the summer program administrators and staff and released the presenters after the presentation.