​New York State Senator John Liu, Chair of State Committee on NYC Education, and Borough President James Oddo will join together on Monday, June 24th, to hold a school diversity and specialized high school admission community forum on Staten Island. The forum will take place at Labetti Post, 390 Hylan Boulevard, from 6:30 to 8:30 pm.
 
This community forum, the last is a series of forums in New York City, is an opportunity for parents, teachers, students, alumni and stakeholders to speak about the issue of school diversity and specialized high school admissions.
 
“It is important that Staten Islanders have the opportunity to speak about the issue of school diversity and specialized high school admissions. Please join us for a chance to let your voice be heard,” said Borough President Oddo.
 
For more information, please call (718) 765-6675. To RSVP and to sign up to speak, please fill out the form in the link bit.ly/StatenIslandForum.

Borough President James Oddo will joined with NYC Department of Parks to hold a beach cleanup event in honor of World Oceans Day 2019 on Saturday, June 8th. A call to action was issued for Staten Islanders who are interested in cleaning up our beaches to join us at Conference House Park for a cleanup of the 3.5 miles of shoreline from 10am to 1pm.

104 Staten Islanders volunteered their time to join us, including students from IS 75, Port Richmond HS, Tottenville HS, PS 22, and PS 51. 

Cooling stations and restrooms were available. The cleanup at Conference House Park will featured tables with information from different environmental education groups and City agencies.

Below is video of Deputy Borough President Ed ​Burke showing the tremendous work our volunteers put in.  

Borough President James Oddo is pleased to announce the encouraging results of a Borough Hall-led pilot program that adds to the growing body of evidence demonstrating the positive impact of exercise on academic achievement.

Borough President Oddo was inspired to pursue physical education reform after reading Dr. John Ratey’s bestselling book Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain which presented a critical mass of scientific evidence demonstrating the connection between exercise and brain development. In Spark, Dr. Ratey provided scores of case studies and academic findings that support his conclusion that aerobic exercise is “Miracle-Gro for the brain.”

The opening chapter of Spark details how the Naperville, Illinois school district significantly improved academic performance by transforming physical education classes. After seeing the documented benefits of a shift from sports-based skill development to a focus on cardiovascular fitness in physical education curricula, Borough President Oddo was determined to bring this innovative reform to the students of District 31 on Staten Island. As a first step, our office partnered with Principal Deirdre DeAngelis to pilot a Spark-inspired physical education program at New Dorp High School.

A randomly selected group of nearly one hundred ninth grade students began their early morning physical education class with seven minutes—building to 15 by the end of the school year—of intense aerobic exercise. Borough Hall’s graduate data fellowship program monitored the de-identified academic performance of the students in the pilot class and compared their grades in each marking period to those of their ninth grade peers.

At the end of the school year, Borough Hall’s Public Policy Team reviewed the results. Despite curriculum restrictions which limited aerobic activity to, at most, the first 15 minutes of each physical education class, the pilot found promising indications that students in the Spark pilot were gaining ground, as compared to their peers in the control group.

“Given the potential impact of Spark on the academic performance of public school students—not to mention the ancillary benefits on health, behavior, and personal development—a rigorous evaluation is the logical next step necessary to realize transformative physical education reform,” said Borough President Oddo. “A shift to aerobic exercise, if done right, could contribute to leveling the playing field for all students in New York City schools.”

The results of the study can be viewed here.

Based on the findings from the Borough Hall-led pilot, the Borough President is calling on the de Blasio administration to partner with Borough Hall to launch a large-scale pilot across public schools on Staten Island with full fidelity to the cardiovascular fitness model.

“I applaud Staten Island for applying the science of exercise to bolster student achievement, with measurable, positive results. This is only with 12 minutes of intense exercise three times a week.  It is wonderful to see the thoughtfulness and thoroughness of Borough President Oddo taking it to the next level and wanting to push it even further.  Imagine the possibilities,” said John J. Ratey, MD, author of Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain and Clinical Associate Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School.

“(Borough) President Oddo’s study on the potential benefits of vigorous exercise in schools is a fitting exclamation point to National Physical Fitness and Sports Month. The pilot program at New Dorp High School on Staten Island is further evidence that we have only scratched the surface in realizing the power of exercise. To that end, at the direction of President Trump, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is participating in the development of a national strategy to increase youth sports participation and regular physical activity. I thank the Borough President for his leadership on this important issue—and for doing the hard work on the ground to publish these important findings,” said Anthony C. Ferreri, DBA Regional Director, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for Region II.

“Starting my day observing our ninth grade students engaged in rigorous aerobic activity is exciting, but it is the improvement in the academic data of these students that really makes me a believer in the SPARK experience. So thankful that our school staff and students are always ready to try something new, especially something that can make a difference,” said Deirdre A. DeAngelis, Principal, New Dorp High School.

“In an effort to educate the ninth grade students of the Institute of Health Science, on the importance of physical activity, we have begun to implement the SPARK program to supplement our current physical education curriculum. We have seen an increase in interest from our students in the areas that the SPARK program emphasizes (beating stress and anxiety, improving body and mind, and sharpening thinking skills). The evidence has been undeniable. By implementing this program, we have seen that aerobic physical activity in the morning stimulates the brain and increases maximum academic performance throughout the school day,” said Richard Rucireto, Assistant Principal of Health & Physical Education and Supervisor of the Institute of Health Sciences, New Dorp High School.

Borough President James S. Oddo has announced that he is continuing the Patrick F. Daly Award after reviving it in 2017 in honor of the 26th anniversary of Mr. Daly’s death. This award goes to two educators who exemplify the values of fallen principal Patrick Daly, who was gunned down in Red Hook, Brooklyn while searching for a student who had left the school building 27 years ago.

“I’m grateful to be able to continue this award in honor of fallen principal, Mr. Patrick Daly,” said BP Oddo. “This award gives us a wonderful opportunity to pay tribute to his sacrifice and legacy, while also recognizing outstanding educators who have made an impact in our community.”

Anyone who may wish to nominate a teacher, guidance counselor, assistant principal, or principal may do so. The award will be given in Mr. Daly’s memory, honoring his legacy of service to the community, his steadfast commitment to his students, and his leadership.

"My family and I would like to thank the Borough President for continuing to honor my father's legacy, as well Staten Island's many excellent educators, with this award. We look for forward to this year's ceremony and meeting the 2019 honorees,” said Pat Daly, son of the fallen educator.​

Nominations are currently being accepted and will be accepted until July 8th. For full details, please visit www.statenislandusa.com/dalyaward.

On Tuesday, May 21st, Borough President James S. Oddo hosted “A Conversation with the Class of 2019” in the Black Box Theater at Susan Wagner High School.  Students were asked to bring questions about issues on Staten Island that affect them and to come prepared to talk about their own experiences and where they see themselves going in the future for a personal, one-on-one conversation with the Borough President. 
 
Topics that the students were interested focused on asking for advice as to what to expect moving from their close-knit communities into the colleges of their choice and how to deal with the stress and anxiety that comes with that. They gave BP Oddo and his staff ideas about how to communicate with the younger generation to break them out of their shell and be more involved in the community.

“You all have great opportunities ahead of you, and I want you to take advantage of them,” BP Oddo said to the group of students. “I am so impressed by all of you and your passions. I hope you will take your passions and help Staten Island become a better place to live.”
 
Students from Curtis High School, Gaynor McCown Expeditionary Learning High School, Michael J. Petrides School, Moore Catholic High School, New Dorp High School, Port Richmond High School, St. Joseph Hill Academy, and Susan Wagner High School participated in the conversation. 

​Borough President James S. Oddo is pleased to announce his initiatives regarding his work to improve school nutrition and wellness.
 
“Policies matter. Leadership matters. Outcomes can change. Problems can be resolved. Science, data, empathy, creativity – all play a role. Our team at Borough Hall leaves no stone unturned when it comes to finding ways to better the lives of Staten Islanders, and food policy and the role of nutrition and education in schools is no exception,” said Borough President Oddo. “Thank you to the Staten Island Child Wellness Initiative for your fight working to overcome childhood obesity on Staten Island, and thank you to our community partners for working with us on these vital initiatives to improve the lives of Staten Island students.”
 
Below is list of school nutrition and wellness initiative partnerships Borough President Oddo is working on that were announced at today’s 4th Annual Staten Island School Garden Summit:
 
Our office has partnered with the Department of Education’s Office of Food and Nutrition Services (OFNS) for a Staten Island Fresh Fruit and Vegetable of the Month Island-wide Pilot. This pilot, which will be run on Staten Island in Prek-8 Lunch Menus at participating schools, will feature a highlighted fruit or vegetable of the month from September 2019 – June 2020. Additionally, student advocates will be chosen by their school principal to represent the fruit or vegetable of the month item during their lunch period. They will circulate a card featuring a plant-based recipe including the highlighted fruit or vegetable of the month. Peer to peer has proven to be one of the best ways to deliver the nutritional education message. We are working to expand this pilot program.
 
Our office has partnered with United Activities Unlimited (UAU) to create a solution to the lack of maintenance for school gardens over the summer months. Our offices are working together to enable the Summer Youth Employment Program children to maintain the gardens while the schools are out of session. We have also facilitated communication between Brian Licata of UAU and the Snug Harbor farmers to involve their expertise in order to keep these produce gardens alive over the summer.
 
Our office has partnered with City Harvest and Staten Island Performing Provider System (SI PPS) to work together to expand Cooking Matters at School, a 6-week hands-on cooking and nutrition program integrated into the school day curriculum. City Harvest and SI PPS have come together to fund a nutritionist and are working directly with our office to bring this course back to the classrooms with a plant-based twist on it.
 
While speaking on the Borough Presidents on NYC Food Policy panel that took place in April at Hunter College, Borough President Oddo was introduced to the company Beetbox. Beetbox fills teaching gaps in Early Education by using food as a vehicle to teach STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math) and eliminates the need for teachers to prepare and plan. Teachers receive monthly learning kits which include detailed lesson plans, required materials, and fresh ingredients. Every Beetbox includes science experiments, planting, cooking, art and engineering projects, literacy, dramatic play, decomposition studies, and songs. Our office is working to fund Beetboxes for a number of schools in the 2019-2020 school-year.
 
Garden to Café is a DOE program that connects school and community gardens with school lunch meals through seasonal harvest events and educational activities. Currently the program is active in 200 schools within NYC, about 12 of which are on Staten Island. However, procurement of fresh fruits and vegetables is most difficult within this program. Our office is working with OFNS and Snug Harbor Cultural Center to see if it is possible to buy local by using Snug’s produce in the Garden to Café program and ease the burden of procurement.

On Tuesday, May 14th, Borough President James S. Oddo and members of the Petrides family and scholarship committee presented the Michael J. Petrides Student Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science to Kasey Shashaty, a student at St. Joseph Hill Academy High School.
 
The annual award is given to a graduating high school senior who excels in math and science. Each Staten Island high school is asked to submit a single nominee, from which the honoree and runner-up are selected. The award is named for Michael J. Petrides, a legendary Staten Island educator, who died in 1994.
 
Kasey Shashaty is a curious and determined student who has a deep commitment to her faith and family as the second eldest of four children. Nominated as the outstanding scholar-athlete for St. Joseph Hill for the Varsity Club Award, she also dedicates time to community service endeavors, including cooking and serving food at Project Hospitality and volunteering with the Special Olympics Club. As a member of the Hill Varsity Swim Team she placed 1st in the New York Archdiocesan championship for the past three years, in addition to being named second team All-Star for Cross Country and holding the Indoor Track school record for the 4x800 relay as a member of the Hill Varsity Track Team. Kasey, who is passionate about science and math, is a National Merit Finalist, an AP Scholar with Honors, and a member of the National Honor and the Foreign Language (French) Honor Societies. Ranked at the top of her class, Kasey maintained a full academic scholarship throughout her time at St. Joseph Hill Academy after having taken the most demanding schedule available to her. Kasey has also sought science research opportunities outside of Hill, partaking in an internship last summer at the Institute for Basic Research where she observed laboratory techniques on a wide range of disciplines and learned how to genetically engineer recombinant DNA. Kasey plans to major in biomedical engineering in college.
 
“The Petrides Award has been given to many remarkable students over the years, and this year is no exception. Congratulations to our winner and to all the impressive nominees for being the best and brightest in our community,” noted Borough President Oddo.
 
Luna Wang from Staten Island Academy was named first runner up. Adam Goudjil from CSI High School for International Studies was named second runner up.
 
A full list of nominees is below:
Adam Goudjil, CSI High School for International Studies
Allison Kahy, Curtis High School
Nicholas Thompson, Gaynor McCown Expeditionary Learning School
Louis Lopez, Michael J. Petrides School
Erik Kaiser, Monsignor Farrell High School
Jenna Moley, Moore Catholic High School
Jessica Wallace, New Dorp High School
Julianna Meyer, Notre Dame Academy
Juan Barba, Ralph R. McKee Career & Technical High School
Sabrina Oriz, St. Joseph by the Sea High School
Kasey Shashaty, St. Joseph Hill Academy
Daniel Elkik, St. Peter’s Boys High School
Minzhi (Luna) Wang, Staten Island Academy
James Tonrey, Staten Island Technical High School
Alexis Crescitelli, Susan E. Wagner High School
Amanda Mavricos, Tottenville High School

On Monday, April 15, Borough President James Oddo and the NYC Department of Education welcomed fourteen Staten Island schools participating in the Billion Oyster Project to a Maritime Forum at the Michael J. Petrides School in the Borough President’s Hall of Science. Approximately 60 students made one-on-one presentations regarding their field work with the Billion Oyster Project to Borough President Oddo and Deputy Borough President Ed Burke.

The schools in attendance at the forum were: Curtis High School, Gaynor McCown Expeditionary Learning School, Michael J. Petrides School High School, New Dorp High School, Susan Wagner High School, Michael J. Petrides School Middle School, I.S. 7 - Elias Bernstein, I.S. 24 - Myrna S. Barnes School, I.S. 51 - Edwin Markham School, I.S. 75 - Frank D. Paulo School, P.S. 21 - Margaret P. Emery / Elm Park, P.S. 45 - John Tyler School, and P.S. 59 - Harborview Elementary School, St. Clare’s School.

Education and business leaders were present, along with faculty and students from the Governor’s Island-based Urban Assembly New York Harbor School, the Billion Oyster Project, the Governor’s Office of Storm Recovery (Living Breakwaters), and the Staten Island Zoo. Members of the US Coast Guard Sector New York were also present along with other community members.

“This event was a great opportunity for marine-focused individuals from many different outlets on Staten Island to get together and share the important research they have completed,” said Borough President Oddo. “I was very impressed by the students and look forward to seeing the change they will create in partnership with the Billion Oyster Project.”

Representatives from Shop Rite donated healthy snacks for those attending, including carrots and hummus, fresh fruit, and popcorn.

This is the first time all Staten Island schools and students participating in the Billion Oyster Project were gathered together in a single event. Those in attendance had the opportunity to participate in a passport program where they collected a sticker from each table stopped at.

The Billion Oyster Project has a mission to restore oyster reefs to New York Harbor through public education initiatives. With a commitment to project-based and real-world learning, their school programming puts students at the center of the movement to restore oysters to NYC waters. Oysters have a remarkable ability to filter nitrogen pollution from water as they eat and can help to protect NYC from storm damage—softening the blow of large waves, reducing flooding, and preventing erosion. Read more about the Billion Oyster Project on their website.

Over 175 people attended the event.