Merrick Union Free School District

Board of Education Special Meeting – January 21, 2025 - 5:30 PM

To appoint the Director of Facilities.

Date Added: 1/21/2025

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Chatterton PARP Week Includes Author Visit

Award-winning author and illustrator Brian Floca visited Chatterton School for a special assembly during PARP (Pick a Reading Partner) Week!

Known for his captivating books like Locomotive and Moonshot, Brian shared the fascinating process behind writing and illustrating his stories.

Students got an insider’s look at how ideas come to life on the page, from research and sketches to final illustrations.

This inspiring event celebrates the magic of books and encourages young readers to explore their own creativity!

Date Added: 1/21/2025

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Lakeside Hosts Community Read Aloud PARP Event

Lakeside School concluded its PARP [Pick a Reading Partner] week with a little help from some community volunteers on Jan. 17.

School administrators, politicians, business owners, first responders and more came out to the annual Community Read Aloud event, reading a pre-selected book to classrooms.

Co-organized by PTA members Jen Bacharach, Jena Rosengart and Lindsey Schwartzand school librarian Melissa Levine, PARP week activities also included a visit by author Chris Grabenstein, a space-themed game show and themed spirit days.

“This year our committee’s mission was to inspire our students to Escape into a Universe of Reading as they reached for the stars while reading with others,” Levine said. “When we share a joy of books, we spark their imagination, ignite curiosity and open doors to a new world – just like the exciting journey into outer space.”

The volunteers, which included Sen. Steve Rhoads, Legis. Seth Koslow and Hempstead Town Clerk Kate Murray – among others - brought engaging energy to their classroom read aloud.

Click here to view the Lakeside Hosts Community Read Aloud PARP Event slideshow.

Date Added: 1/21/2025

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PowerSchool Cybersecurity Incident

Dear Merrick School District Community,

We are writing to make you aware of a recent cybersecurity incident involving PowerSchool, a software vendor which provides our Student Information System (SIS). This impacted schools nationally.

On Tuesday, January 7, 2025, PowerSchool informed our leadership team that they experienced a cybersecurity incident involving unauthorized access to certain PowerSchool SIS customer data. Unfortunately, they have confirmed that this data breach has affected our district, and that certain information related to families and educators has been obtained.

PowerSchool informed us that this data primarily includes parent, student and teacher contact information, including name and address information. Across their customer base, they have determined that for a portion of individuals, some personally identifiable information (PII), such as medical alerts, was impacted. PowerSchool has assured us that they are working urgently to complete their investigation and determine whether PII belonging to our students or teachers was included. If PowerSchool determines that other information is identified, we will update you.

We take the protection of our students and staff very seriously. With the support of PowerSchool, we will share additional information and resources with you as they become available, including credit monitoring or identity protection services, if applicable.

Thank you for your patience and understanding as we work diligently to address this matter and ensure the safety and security of our school community.

Sincerely,
Dominick Palma, Ph.D.

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Lights, Camera, Action at Lakeside

Lakeside second graders learned what it takes to be a movie director during second grade enrichment. Since the beginning of the year, students learned about Stop Motion, and the steps behind making a short movie. Students put their skills to the test as used Lego to create stop motion stories.