Partnership Spotlight

The 2^nd Annual Long Island BOCES Conference explored ways in which districts and educators can nurture the skills, mindsets, and opportunities to empower all students to achieve success in school, careers, and life. This event, “Empowering Every Child: Unlocking Potential with the Portrait of a Graduate,” featured keynote co-presenters from NYSED and ESBOCES, experts and innovators who shared information in multiple breakout sessions, a student roundtable composed of representatives from the LI-based ERASE Racism Student Task Force, a Blue Ribbon Commission Panelists’ discussion, and more. The conference was co-hosted by the three Long Island BOCES.

Brookhaven Learning Center cut the red ribbon to officially unveil its new outdoor mural, which was completed on Earth Day, April 22^nd. This work of art borders the school playground, and was created by artists from Teatro Yerbabruja, a local organization that uses art for social transformation.

Staff and artists involved students at multiple points along the way. For example, every student voted for their favorite rendering, which were provided by the artists and were based upon direction from Principal Nicole Drinkwater. Drinkwater requested an outdoor landscape scene and the winning image features a stunning mountain view overlooking water and fields.

Additionally, approximately 15 students were chosen to help with details towards the completion of the project. They chose the colors and painted flowers, rocks, ornamental grass and other elements within the design. This hands-on experience allowed students to express themselves, build confidence, and a meaningful connection to a piece of artwork they will enjoy every day.

The ESBOCES Special Education Department collaborated with the agency’s Arts-in-Education Program to make this project possible.

On 4/15 we celebrated Jackie Robinson day at Masera. Thank you to the Bay Shore Varsity baseball team for coming and running baseball stations for the Masera students. The coaches and players from Bay Shore were amazing and it was a great event for all. Thank you to Dan Atalla and AnnaMarie Cali for helping to organize.

Eastern Suffolk BOCES established a partnership with Sandy Hook Promise in 2025, aligning our focus with the Eastern Suffolk Regional plan of Continuous Improvement. This partnership focuses on building strong communities among our special education buildings to reduce social isolation and support students’ emotional well-being, while improving school safety. Students from all 51 component school districts that attend school within the special education department participate in this non-school district partnership with Sandy Hook Promise.  Additionally, the ESBOCES Career and Technical Education department is developing a pilot with Sandy Hook Promise to implement the program for the 2026-2027 school year.

Presentation: About the Partnership

• Review the Eastern Suffolk Region and Participating Districts
• Overview of the Eastern Suffolk Regional Plan
• Review of the Website
• Next Steps for Strategic Partners

PowerPoint Presentation

Eastern Suffolk BOCES recently held its annual Services Fair where attendees were able to meet representatives from various community programs for services such as substance abuse, respite/hospital, financial planning, victim’s services, and much more.

The Eastern Suffolk BOCES Human Resources Department recently hosted the first Human Resources Administrators Academy. This intensive three-day certificate program brought together administrators from across Long Island, and provided a foundational understanding of critical HR practices within the context of New York State public education. Participants gained practical knowledge in areas such as Civil Service law, certification and tenure processes, employee relations, and legal compliance, equipping them with the skills and confidence to succeed in this specialized and essential leadership role.

ESBOCES’ Long Island Regional Bilingual Education Resource Network (L.I. RBERN) hosted the Long Island Teacher Institute, bringing educators together to collaborate and share their expertise while showcasing the achievements and best practices for supporting multilingual learners in classrooms across the region. LITI 2026 was attended by nearly 500 Long Island English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) educators and administrators from about 80 of the region’s 125 public school districts in Nassau and Suffolk counties.

On Tuesday March 3rd, WHBLC had the pleasure of hosting cosmetology students from Ms. Palazzo's class at HB Ward Technical Center. The talented young professionals came to our school to provide our pre-vocational and academic students with various self-care services, creating a wonderful opportunity for community engagement. Our WHBLC students had the choice of several services, including hair braiding, temporary hair tinsel extensions, temporary tattoos, and manicures with or without nail polish. All students who participated were required to have a signed permission slip from a parent or guardian. As an added bonus, students who received nail services were able to take home a complimentary nail tool kit, a generous gift from the HB Ward Cosmetology students. The event was a huge success! WHBLC students left the day beaming, showing off their new hairstyles, nail designs, and temporary tattoos. We are grateful to Ms. Palazzo and her cosmetology class for sharing their talents with our students and for cultivating this meaningful partnership between our schools.

Self-Care Day- Organized, Set-Up, and Run by our Social Workers. This enriching event will feature four therapeutic activities—cosmetology, yoga, art therapy, and music therapy—each carefully curated to promote relaxation, self-expression, and personal wellness. Our students will have the opportunity to explore different self-care practices in a supportive, judgment-free environment, allowing them to discover what brings them joy and calm. Beyond the immediate benefits of pampering and relaxation, this fair address critical social-emotional needs by building confidence, reducing anxiety, and fostering a sense of belonging within our school community. Through these therapeutic experiences, students will develop healthy coping strategies, enhance their self-awareness, and practice self-advocacy skills—all essential components of emotional well-being. This fair celebrates our students' unique needs and strengths while reinforcing the message that caring for oneself is an important part of living a balanced, healthy life. This event will be set up in three locations around our campus: Building 1 Gym, Building 4 Kitchen, and the Media Center. A schedule will be created for all classes to attend.

Students from public high schools across Long Island attended the annual Regional Student Forum held at St. Joseph's University. Each year students gather, break into groups and discuss topics of their choosing that impact their schools, communities and each other. This year those topics included academic pressure, mental health, the school environment, and career planning / skills for life. NYS Regent Felicia Thomas-Williams joined the gathering, which was hosted by Long Island’s three BOCES - Eastern Suffolk, Western Suffolk, and Nassau.