Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Education Programs topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Lynbrook students showcase Flight School; district expands program for grades 1–5
Summary
Students demonstrated project-based Flight School activities and district leaders announced that, beginning next school year, each grade 1–5 will have three Flight School opportunities, a program expansion approved by the board.
Flight School, the district’s inquiry-based enrichment program, drew applause at the board meeting as fifth graders demonstrated coding and engineering challenges and district leaders announced a program expansion.
Karen Tishman, a Flight School presenter, described the program as "a fully immersive experience where students in grades 1 through 5 participate in learning content pertaining to the world around them," and outlined student projects including robot attachments to collect debris, a tested model landfill, and Ozobot coding exercises that recreated a historical cleanup scenario.
A panel of fifth graders explained how the class emphasizes collaboration and iterative problem-solving. One student said the work ‘‘gives you another chance to fix stuff’’ after testing and redesign. Board members questioned students about teamwork and assessment; students described earning "air points" for teamwork and class participation and a raffle system that rewards classes with an extra Flight School session.
Following the demonstrations, a district leader stated that the board had approved an expansion so that "every grade in grades one through five will be able to have three opportunities for Flight School for the first time," attributing the decision to strong teacher implementation and board support. The expansion was presented as part of ongoing curriculum alignment with the district’s "Profile of the Owl" goals to deepen inquiry, critical thinking and communication skills.
Superintendent Dr. Lynch and program staff framed Flight School as complementing classroom instruction rather than replacing standards-based work; staff said the initiative offers hands-on, project-based learning that cultivates problem solving and collaboration. The board invited students forward for recognition photos following the presentation.
The expansion is contingent on continuing program implementation and staffing; additional scheduling and operational details were not specified at the meeting. The board will consider associated budget and scheduling logistics in upcoming work sessions.
