Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the District Initiatives topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Superintendent pursues $500,000 gardening-and-cooking grant; district outlines vaping‑prevention and conference safety steps
Summary
Superintendent Kennedy said the district is pursuing a $500,000 Emerald Lagasse grant for school gardens/teaching kitchens, will host a foundation visit Dec. 8, and announced vaping‑prevention outreach and metal‑detector use during upcoming secondary parent‑teacher conferences.
Superintendent Kennedy told the Patchogue‑Medford Board of Education on Nov. 17 that the district is actively pursuing a $500,000 grant to support a gardening and culinary teaching‑kitchen program and that representatives from the Emerald Lagasse Foundation will visit the district on Dec. 8.
Kennedy said the program would integrate hands‑on gardening and cooking education into core instruction, help connect academics to practical skills, and could begin at the district’s elementary schools if the grant is awarded. "I am very optimistic about the district getting this grant," she said, and described her recent visit to a model school in New Orleans.
On student health, Kennedy and assistant administrators described a multi‑pronged effort to address vaping in secondary schools: distribution of bilingual brochures for families, poster campaigns developed with art departments, assemblies and student advisory groups, and collaboration with building principals and the district substance‑abuse prevention staff. The superintendent characterized vaping among students as a serious concern and said district staff are coordinating with local law enforcement and public‑health initiatives to reduce underage sales.
As a temporary safety measure, district staff announced that metal detectors will be used at all secondary buildings during parent‑teacher conferences this week. Administrators said the devices are intended to reinforce student and family safety while conferences are in session. The district also reported robust community support for its Family Center Thanksgiving drive, with more than 100 turkeys collected to date and donations from the Patchogue‑Medford Administrators Association and an individual employee pledging 75 turkeys.
The superintendent also said the district is increasing its social‑media outreach to highlight student work and community service. She asked the public to keep the district informed and pledged to follow up with partners about the grant and community collaborations.
