Prekindergarten students at C.A. Reinhard have been learning about the seasons and that apples are a popular fall season fruit.

For the past several days, the District’s youngest Star Learners have read numerous books about the varieties of apples, how they grow on trees, their nutritional value and locations where apples grow. They cut into apples to explore the interior of the fruit and then painted colorful apple prints. Their favorite activity, however, was a taste-testing activity where they learned that apples can be sweet or tart.

Under the direction of art teacher Michelle Block, second grade students at C. A. Reinhard explored their identities through self-portraiture, much like Mexican portrait artist Frida Kahlo (1907-1957).

The art project was composed of two parts. Upon researching and exploring Frida’s portraits as inspiration, the students were instructed to first work on their own masked self-portraits. A second portrait then revealed the student-artists under the mask and included words, images and colors that described them.

During the art unit, the students also compared and contrasted the self-portraiture of Vincent van Gogh and Pablo Picasso.

Charles A. Reinhard Early Childhood Center was recognized as one of 582 New York State schools that are high achieving and high progress Recognition Schools. Under the Every Student Succeeds Act, Recognition Schools are defined as educational institutions with high academic achievement and strong progress. This is the second year in a row that the Early Childhood Center has achieved this distinction.

Superintendent of Schools Dr. Joseph Famularo said this designation is a wonderful honor for Charles A. Reinhard’s Rising Star Leaders. “Leading and learning is at the forefront of every academic challenge,” Assistant Superintendent for Instruction Dr. Joanne Dacek said. “Being a Recognition School is a testament to the Early Childhood Center’s integration of the ideal traits the District considers essential in developing knowledge and life skills.”

To be identified as a 2020 Recognition School, schools had to meet specific and rigorous standards set by the New York State Education Department. The Early Childhood Center is one of only 358 elementary and middle schools statewide who have achieved this honor and will receive a certificate of recognition from the New York State Commissioner of Education.

Charles A. Reinhard Early Childhood Center Principal Patricia Castine said she is proud of the school community. “Students who believe they are leaders set goals for themselves which really help them achieve,” Ms. Castine said. “Our little learners really internalize leadership and take their successes seriously, which helps us all rise together academically and socially.”

Working from home can prove difficult, but kindergarten students in Jennifer Magliano’s C.A. Reinhard virtual class have been getting in tune with their hybrid model of education due to the COVID-19 pandemic by developing creative and individualized workstations for virtual learning during the 2020-2021 school year.

Ms. Magliano said, “The students were really motivated by the project and excited about having a designated virtual workspace to call their own.”

The virtual workspace assignment tied into the District’s Bellmore Stars Character Development Program centered on universal leadership principles and shared core values. By setting up a designated space, the students utilized the leadership principle “Begin with the End in Mind,” in which they planned ahead and set personal goals. “Being Proactive,” the students also demonstrated responsibility for their actions and positive attitudes towards their education by creating a functional workspace.