Starting With Hello at Harborfields! 

This week, students and staff fully embraced Start with Hello Week, a national call-to-action week dedicated to making new social connections between students and creating a sense of belonging. Start with Hello is sponsored by Sandy Hook Promise to combat social isolation among students. By participating in Start with Hello Week, our students work together to build an even stronger culture of inclusivity and empathy within our Harborfields community. When I visited the buildings all week, they were buzzing with activities! I was so proud to see students meeting someone new, giving compliments to friends and teachers, identifying a trusted adult, and, of course, signing the pledge to be an upstander for other students. On Wednesday, I truly enjoyed seeing so many students and staff wearing green as a symbol of unity and school spirit.  A big thank you to our teachers and administrators for designing an outstanding Start with Hello Week! Click on the picture below to see more photos from the week.  Program Spotlight - Extended School Year Program Each month, student programs are spotlighted at our monthly Board of Education meeting.  This month, the Harborfields Extended School Year program was spotlighted by our Assistant Director for Elementary PPS, Ms. Melissa Basel, and our ESY Coordinator and Special Education Teacher, Ms. Pietrina Postorino.  I encourage you to take a few minutes to watch the video below. I am so grateful to all of our staff who provide such a wonderful experience for our students each summer.  Prepare to be amazed!  Athletic Accolades It’s been an exciting start to the fall sports season for many of our teams and athletes. We’d like to specially recognize six of our athletes who were named to Newsday’s Top lists.  Congratulations to Anderson Soper (Soccer), Juliet Gianfrancesco (Field Hockey), Caroline Gilhuley (Field Hockey), Kayla Blitz (Volleyball), Liv Rochlin (Volleyball), and Liz Sabino (Volleyball). Way to go, Tornadoes!  Reminder - Schools Closed on Tuesday, September 23 and Wednesday, September 24  This is a gentle reminder that all schools will be closed September 23-24 in observance of Rosh Hashanah, as indicated on the school calendar.

Harborfields High School

Students in Mr. Pinto’s Intro to Emergency Medical Services class had a hands-on lesson with EMTs from Stony Brook University, practicing techniques to quickly stop life-threatening bleeding. In addition to learning how to "stop the bleed," students will earn CPR certification and learn how to respond to medical emergencies such as anaphylaxis, opioid overdose, seizures, and breathing difficulties. This course gives students a firsthand look into the high-stakes world of Emergency Medical Services. 

Hispanic Heritage Month is underway! Students in Mrs. Pellizzi’s eighth-grade Spanish class celebrated by going on a library scavenger hunt, discovering influential Hispanic Americans and their contributions along the way.

Walking up to TJL and seeing a sea of gold shirts was truly heartwarming. September is Pediatric Cancer Awareness Month, and gold is the color that represents it, but these shirts carried an extra special meaning. They were designed by TJL’s own Belle Svoboda, a pediatric cancer warrior. Belle infused the shirt with her favorite mantra and colors. The front reads, “I am strong, I am brave, I am confident, I love me!” while the back reminds us to “always BELLEve!” TJL and the entire Harborfields community are proud to stand with Belle and all those affected by pediatric cancer.  

On September 17, schools recognized Constitution Day, a day to honor the signing of the U.S. Constitution and reflect on the rights and responsibilities it guarantees. In recognition of Constitution Day, students in Mrs. Postorino’s class each wrote a page of their class constitution to create a book. 

Congratulations - National Merit Scholars!

We are thrilled to share that nine Harborfields High School students earned top National Merit recognition. Congratulations to our 2026 National Merit Semifinalist, Kyleigh Connors, and National Merit Commended Students Joseph Attonito, Harry Diner, Michelle Diner, Jackson Dunham, Joshua Krief, Leo Lin, Riley Lyons, and Griffin Thomas. National Merit recognized these students for the exceptional academic promise demonstrated by their outstanding performance on qualifying tests. We are so proud of you! 

Congratulations - Mr. Bilawsky, Editor of School Music News!

Mr. Dan Bilawsky, Harborfields’ K-12 Music Coordinator, is now the Editor of School Music News, a NYSSMA Publication. Congratulations on your first edition as editor, Mr. Bilawsky! Click on the picture below to read the School Music News publication.