New Beginnings: Surfing!

 

Just about a year and a half ago, I started this blog as a way to share the wonderful things happening in our district. Well, not too soon after the blog began, COVID hit, and my last blog entry was March 8, 2020. Shortly after that, I started to email parents—every day for the remainder of that difficult year, and then nearly weekly after that. In the midst of an unprecedented global pandemic, the blog fell silent for awhile.

Now, I think it’s really important to start writing again about the educational direction of our district. We have SO many exciting things happening for students, and many plans to improve learning and make school even more engaging.  I will still email parents important information, but the blog will be a way to give you a window into the great things happening in our schools!

Over the first few weeks of school, I was excited to see many programs get “up and running,” and I’d like to highlight two of them today. One is our competitive surf team. I think we may be the ONLY school district on Long Island that fields a surf team.  One of the reasons I love working in Long Beach is that we have the most amazing environmental setting—how incredible for our surfers to be able to share their passion on a school team!  They will compete during the year with surf teams from coastal regions across the country. The second program is a brand new offering, designed by our athletic and special education departments, in conjunction with “Surf for All.” This program will bring surfing lessons to students with disabilities during the fall and spring. You can’t believe the giant smiles on these students’ faces when they actually surf for the first time!  Below are some photos from both programs.

So, why did I choose the surfing programs to profile this week? Who isn’t amazed to watch surfers harness the majesty and strength of the ocean, to ride that wave for an exciting minute or two, and to realize that no obstacle cannot be conquered? Surfing is a great metaphor for education: it’s about harnessing knowledge, experiencing the excitement of discovery, and finding new ways to move forward. And in Long Beach, EVERY child gets to “catch that wave” if they want to!  

Next week: news about our STEM programs!