Lockhart Elementary -

Dear Lockhart Families: We want to remind all of our Lockhart First Responders that our 2nd annual First Responder Appreciation Day is on June 3rd! You must sign up using the link below if you want to attend and participate. If you are or have a family member who is a First Responder, we would love to have you speak to the class and then attend the session on the back field run by the Nassau County Police Department. This is absolutely one of the most memorable days of the year. Already attending and helping facilitate the entire day is the Nassau County Police Commissioner, along with a Mounted Police Unit, K9 Unit, Motorcycle Unit, Special OPS, POP Officers, Massapequa Fire Dept., and EMS. All units will be bringing vehicles to park around the back of Lockhart and on the back blacktop path. These vehicles and horses will begin with a parade and then all grades will spend time visiting the stations. If you are a first responder or someone in your family is, and you would like to present to your child's class, please use the link below to sign up. There is also the opportunity to buy a First Responder Appreciation T Shirt, with all proceeds going to The First Responders Foundation. Please click the link below for more information. https://drive.google.com/file/d/18bVQsQNreZdliET_hOWPRYZklBtzFT2P/view?usp=sharing

Dear Grade 3-5 Families: Our next Homework Helper Club session will be this Thursday, from 3:00-3:40. Please use the link below to sign up. https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0B4BA5A829A4F8C16-56436777-lockhart

Dear Lockhart Families: Upon return from break, our Kindergarten Playground construction will be under way. Until we figure out the scope of the work area, we are adjusting our arrival procedures for Pittsburgh Ave. All families will gather on the front patio and students will enter the Front Doors. Also, the car dropoff line will be moved up to the Stop Sign in front of the building. For April 22-25, NCPD will be there to assist with this change. We are asking that no soccer or other sports be played on the front lawn during this time. After reassessing the construction, if we are able to return to our normal procedures while construction is ongoing, we will adjust.

Dear Parents of Grade 3-8 Students, Last week we paused our ELA assessments due to technical issues with the state. We understand this was disappointing and frustrating for everyone involved. We have received assurances that the system is ready to go, and we are committed to completing the assessment as planned. Session II of the New York State English Language Arts (ELA) Assessment is scheduled to take place on April 23, 2025. You can expect additional follow-up from your buildings on Tuesday, April 22. Thank you for your patience and attention to this matter. Sincerely, The Massapequa School District

Dear Lockhart Families: Our PTA and Grade 5 Committee have several fundraisers going on right now. These are great opportunities to help the PTA, Grade 5, and enjoy some beautiful items or fun experiences yourselves! Below are some links to the Plant Sale, Spirit Wear, and the Grade 5 Mets Game fundraiser. Lockhart Spring Plant Sale (Ends on April 12th) https://my.cheddarup.com/c/2025-rjl-pta-spring-plant-sale-copy/barriers/visitor-report?cart Lockhart Spirit Wear (Ends on April 18th) https://shopnewwavesports.com/lockhart/shop/home Mets Game https://drive.google.com/file/d/1998kMantprPZHxeBKW7SnFw7PyxiCTCW/view?usp=sharing

Dear Parents and Guardians, We would like to thank you for your ongoing support with our new website and app! If you haven’t downloaded our app yet, please visit the Apple or Google Play store and search for the Massapequa School District. As a reminder, our district app currently offers: • District, school, and community communications • Access to our spotlight, events/calendar, lunch menus, and district/school webpages As we shared at the end of last school year and throughout this school year, we are excited to announce the launch of our “Rooms” parent-teacher communication app/website feature! After ongoing district planning and training, the “Rooms” communication feature will be ready on April 30th. With this new feature, all of our instructional staff and parents will be able to communicate through this common platform to streamline communications. With Rooms, you’ll have access to even more exciting features like: • Stream: A place where communication/announcements can be posted by teachers/staff • Messages: Direct communication from teachers/staff to parents and parents to teachers/staff We will be sharing additional information and directions on how to access your account in the near future! Sincerely, The Massapequa School District

Dear Parents of Grade 3-8 Students, We are writing to provide an important update regarding the New York State English Language Arts (ELA) testing that resumed today, April 9, 2025. Unfortunately, NYS encountered another round of technical issues with its online testing platform this morning. Due to these issues, NYS instructed us to pause, and then later to resume testing. While many students at Berner and our elementary schools managed to complete their tests, some couldn't even start. We will contact those parents/guardians directly. Given these ongoing complications, we are pausing testing district-wide until after the break, awaiting further guidance from the state. Tomorrow, April 10, 2025, will be a normal school day without state assessments. We will provide updates on the continuation of the ELA assessment as soon as we receive details and assurances of testing capabilities from the state. This situation is incredibly frustrating due to the loss of instructional time and the time invested in preparing for this test administration. Additionally, there are now questions about the validity of this assessment which we hope will be addressed once we receive further guidance from the state. We will update the community as soon as more information becomes available. Thank you for your continued patience and understanding. Sincerely, William Brennan, Ed. D. Superintendent of Schools

Dear Parents of Grade 3-8 Students, We are writing to provide an important update regarding the New York State English Language Arts (ELA) testing that resumed today, April 9, 2025. Unfortunately, NYS encountered another round of technical issues with its online testing platform this morning. Due to these issues, NYS instructed us to pause, and then later to resume testing. While many students at Berner and our elementary schools managed to complete their tests, some couldn't even start. We will contact those parents/guardians directly. Given these ongoing complications, we are pausing testing district-wide until after the break, awaiting further guidance from the state. Tomorrow, April 10, 2025, will be a normal school day without state assessments. We will provide updates on the continuation of the ELA assessment as soon as we receive details and assurances of testing capabilities from the state. This situation is incredibly frustrating due to the loss of instructional time and the time invested in preparing for this test administration. Additionally, there are now questions about the validity of this assessment which we hope will be addressed once we receive further guidance from the state. We will update the community as soon as more information becomes available. Thank you for your continued patience and understanding. Sincerely, William Brennan, Ed. D. Superintendent of Schools

Dear Grade 3-5 Elementary Parents/Guardians, As previously communicated, due to unforeseen technical issues and as directed by NYSED, the administration of the NYS ELA assessment scheduled for today was postponed. The District received notification this morning that the NYS testing platform, Nextera, was having technical issues across the state. At this time, the district has received notification that the technical issues have been resolved. Therefore, Session 1 of the NYS ELA Assessment will be administered tomorrow, April 9, 2025, and Session 2 will be administered on Thursday, April 10, 2025. We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused. Thank you for your support. Sincerely, The Massapequa School District

Dear Lockhart Families: We are very excited to announce the construction of two new playgrounds at Lockhart! Please see the important memo which is also being sent home with the students today. The construction is going to impact morning arrival on Pittsburgh. More details will be sent throughout the construction. https://drive.google.com/file/d/19usIGb9r19aB8KDVBMg_RiSY97WsUoMO/view?usp=sharing

Dear Parents of Grade 3-8 Students, We are writing to inform you about an important update regarding the New York State English Language Arts (ELA) testing that was scheduled for today, April 8, and tomorrow, April 9. Due to a statewide technical issue with the NY ELA testing platform, testing is postponed for today, April 8. We will follow-up with additional communication once we confirm the issue is resolved and we receive further guidance from NY State. At this time, buildings will be resuming their regular schedules. We appreciate your understanding and cooperation as we work to ensure a smooth testing process for all students participating in the assessment. Thank you for your continued support. Sincerely, The Massapequa School District

Dear Grades 3-5 Families: Tomorrow and Wednesday, students in Grades 3-5 will be taking the NYS ELA Exam. The testing session will run until 10:45 and then classrooms will resume daily activities. If students need more time, they will move to another room to continue testing. Please ensure children get a proper night's sleep to help them perform to their optimal level.

Dear Lockhart Families: If you have not done so already, please access your child's Report Card on the Parent Portal. It is a great way to check on the progress of your child as well as read the wonderful comments from the teachers.

Dear Lockhart Families: We are extremely excited to announce our 2nd annual First Responder Appreciation Day on June 3rd! On this day, we will be celebrating all of the first responders that we have here with our Lockhart families and those around Nassau County. The day will begin with a welcome breakfast for all guests and presenters, followed by Lockhart family members who are first responders going into their child’s classroom to present, and culminating with a large scale parade and stations on the back field, which is organized by the Nassau County Police Department. This is absolutely one of the most memorable days of the year. Already attending and helping facilitate the entire day is the Nassau County Police Commissioner, along with a Mounted Police Unit, K9 Unit, Motorcycle Unit, Special OPS, POP Officers, Massapequa Fire Dept., and EMS. All units will be bringing vehicles to park around the back of Lockhart and on the back blacktop path. These vehicles and horses will begin with a parade and then all grades will spend time visiting the stations. If you are a first responder or someone in your family is, and you would like to present to your child's class, please use the link below to sign up. There is also the opportunity to buy a First Responder Appreciation T Shirt, with all proceeds going to The First Responders Foundation. Please click the link below for more information. https://drive.google.com/file/d/18bVQsQNreZdliET_hOWPRYZklBtzFT2P/view?usp=sharing

Dear 4th Grade Parents: We apologize for the miscommunication about the cancellation of 4th Grade Sports Club. We know this caused confusion at dismissal and as kids arrived home. Once again, it was our fault and we apologize.

Dear Lockhart Families: The deadline to complete the placement form is Friday, April 4. Each year, the placement process for making future classes is one of the most important, time consuming jobs we have. Multiple staff in the building discuss best placements for our students. Parents are also given the opportunity to give some input into the process, but understand that nothing is guaranteed and the overall decision lies with the school. Please understand, this is not a forum to freely speak about a student or staff member. Please click on the link to gain more information and use the google spreadsheet to enter your input. All responses are due by April 4. https://drive.google.com/file/d/182JWM6KNzqtLUmkghcU_QCUGMP-fUeWx/view?usp=sharing

Dear Lockhart Families: Tomorrow is World Autism Day and we invite everyone to wear blue to bring awareness to celebrate Autism acceptance. Also, April is Disability Awareness Month and we invite everyone to wear blue each Friday in April. https://drive.google.com/file/d/19aJKYh8-Jow8yhPaAqtReGpuBy75oK4H/view?usp=sharing

Dear Lockhart Families: Our priority remains providing support and comfort to our students, faculty, and staff as we grieve and navigate this challenging time. We continue to receive the support of additional Psychologists, Social Workers, and Guidance Counselors from other district buildings. In an effort to continue supporting our students and staff, Lockhart Elementary School has scheduled a visit with a therapy dog during the school day on Friday, March 28, 2025. Our intention is to provide our Second-Grade students and staff with the first opportunity to continue to have a productive outlet for emotions and have an uplifting school experience that fosters engagement. We are in the process of organizing a second visit to provide an opportunity for all students and staff to interact with the therapy dog. Further details will be shared once the next visit is confirmed. Professionally trained therapy dogs are social, calm, and enjoy engaging with a wide variety of people. Therapy dogs provide unconditional love and attention to students who are interested in interacting with them and encourage feelings of calm. Dogs chosen for therapy dog teams have passed numerous behavioral and health screenings to ensure they are safe and comfortable around various people. We understand that parents may have a concern related to this school experience, especially if an allergy to dogs exists. As a result, please utilize this brief Google Form only to alert building administration if you prefer that your child avoid interaction with the dogs due to an allergy or other concern. If completing this form, we ask that you do so no later than Thursday, March 27th prior to the close of the school day. Again, at this time, this is for 2nd Grade students. When we confirm a second visit, we will send this form again. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSei8jJAiWvP3IvE-S3vVLQynbUoan0sGjDY8fOT0fmoBYS25Q/viewform Sincerely, Mr. DeLuca and Mrs. Vecchione

Dear Lockhart Families: Please check your email for an important message.

Dear Lockhart Families: Extra Help will be cancelled tomorrow morning. Please do not send in your children before regular arrival.