Westbury board features Black History Month choir, honors student athletes and musicians; calendar to be voted later
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Summary
At a public meeting, the Westbury Union Free School District Board of Education heard a Black History Month performance, recognized student athletic and music achievements, previewed the proposed 2026–27 student calendar (agenda item 5c) for future approval, and moved in and out of executive session on personnel matters.
The Westbury Union Free School District Board of Education opened its public meeting with a Black History Month presentation and several student recognitions before moving to procedural votes and executive session.
Doctor Chase introduced a select school choir to sing the Black national anthem, "Lift Every Voice," led by Jonathan Fulcher. "We are now gonna have a special treat in honor of Black History Month," Chase said, and thanked the musicians and staff who prepared the performance. Board members praised the seven middle-school singers for their harmony and diversity after the performance.
The board recognized Westbury High School senior Nevaeh Moody for receiving a Nassau County Volleyball Scholar-Athlete Award and selection to the Nassau County All-County team. Coach Jacqueline Barot said Moody had been a four-year varsity player, a three-year captain, and ranked in county leaderboards for kills and blocks; Barot noted Moody will play for Cortland in the fall.
The meeting also honored students chosen for the All-County Music Festival. Nydia Keaveny explained the selection process (documented in the record as "NISMA" scoring) and introduced participating scholars from Powell's Lane, Park Avenue and Drexel Avenue schools.
Student trustee Eli Hunt reported that the second marking period had ended and reminded families about upcoming parent-teacher conferences and the district's Black History Month assembly. "Please look out for our upcoming parent teacher conferences," Hunt said.
Doctor Chase drew attention to agenda item 5c, the proposed student calendar for 2026–27, and described the calendar as a joint product of district administrators and union leaders, including WTA president Shahana Karulo and Lauren Barbosa. Chase said the calendar was developed to balance acknowledgements of religious holidays and that "it is not a 2026–27 calendar until the board approves it." He added that he spent time with union leaders to produce a shared recommendation that will be placed on the agenda for board action.
On routine business, a member moved to block-vote the entire agenda; the motion (moved by "mister Kane" and seconded by Vice President Ewing in the record) carried unanimously. The board then approved the items covered by that block vote by unanimous roll call.
Later in the evening the board voted to enter executive session to discuss personnel matters; the chair indicated the executive session would end no later than 11:00 p.m. and that no votes were expected except to exit executive session and to adjourn. After returning, the board moved to adjourn and the meeting was closed. The record notes Trustee Robin Bowling was absent (in Albany) and that Doctor Dickerson was present early in executive session but left before the meeting closed.
No statutory authorities were cited during the public portions of the meeting in the transcript, and the proposed student calendar (agenda item 5c) remained on the agenda for a future board vote.
