Art plays a vital role in the life of a child by developing a form of creative expression, which results in a feeling of accomplishment and enhances self-worth. It also promotes the development of good taste. The child is guided to grow in this way by relating art to many subjects and by providing opportunities to work with such media as paint, crayons, clay, and paper. Art experiences not only enrich the school curriculum but promote skills and art appreciation as part of everyday living.

Art Teachers: Jessica Marciana  (jmarciana@nmerrick.org) and Cinzia Emmerich (cemmerich@nmerrick.org)

New York State Standards - Art

"Music is a world within itself With a language we all understand With an equal opportunity For all to sing, dance and clap their hands"

-Stevie Wonder

The North Merrick music program provides a variety of "hands-on" musical experiences designed to encourage self-expression, creative performance, and acquisition of major musical elements, such as rhythm, harmony, melody and notation. Through opportunities to sing in small or large choral groups, learn musical notation, and listen to a variety of the finest forms of musical expression, students come to learn about, enjoy and appreciate the world of music. In addition to stimulating the intellectual and emotional growth of students, the music curriculum is designed to contribute to the students' understanding of our American heritage. Every student has many opportunities to "sing, dance and clap their hands" in our music classes, junior and senior choruses, and sixth grade theatre arts productions.  Your child’s music education utilizes a menagerie of music education philosophies such as the Orff, Dalcroze, Gordon and Kodaly methods.  We would like our students to be "tuneful, beatful and artful," in other words, people who will appreciate and/or participate in music for a lifetime.

Mission Statement:

The goal of our music classes is to develop a well-rounded musical student. We strive to impart a sense of rhythm, pitch, instrument/vocal technique and music history to all of our students.

Classroom/Vocal Music Teachers: Rachel Lajara (rlajara@nmerrick.org)

The English Language Arts/Literature program is designed to enable students to become articulate speakers, responsive listeners, skillful readers, effective writers, and resourceful problem solvers who are prepared to be contributing members of our democratic society. 

North Merrick schools have implemented the Teachers College Reading and Writing Workshop curriculum through significant staff development on the different units of study. In addition to learning the skill of practical writing, students are adopting a very process-driven approach to writing, including drafting, editing, and revising their writing. 

New York State Standards - ELA

ELA Beliefs and Philosophy

Shared beliefs about learning to read, write, speak, listen, view and represent in an ELA program:

The English Language Arts Program in the North Merrick UFSD is a reading and writing program that integrates speaking and listening. It is informed and guided by the New York State Standards for English Language Arts and is integrated into all content areas throughout the day.

In reading, students are taught the conventions of print and how to utilize multiple cueing systems to become fluent readers in a print-rich environment. The study of phonics, structural analysis, and word work are essential components of decoding instruction. Skills and strategies are taught in a meaningful context using authentic texts. As early as kindergarten, students are taught metacognitive skills. They employ these thinking skills in their search for meaning as they listen and read. They learn to utilize their prior knowledge to predict and to make sense of what they read. Students receive direct instruction in comprehension skills such as finding the main idea, retelling, comparing, inferring, and summarizing. From the earliest grades students are taught to listen and read for information, to reread for clarification, and to monitor their own understanding as they interact with the text.

In writing, students are taught to convey their ideas by utilizing a specific writing process. First, they are immersed in a genre through their reading. Here they discover the features of the genre, as well as the craft techniques used by authors. Next, they collect and develop related ideas in their writing folders or notebooks and experiment with styles introduced by teachers and mentor authors. Then they draft and revise their writing pieces, testing out various possible alternatives modeled by teachers. The editing process, which involves the correction of grammar and conventions, is then enacted. Students publish a final draft and celebrate by sharing their work with an audience that may include peers, parents, teachers, and/or administrators.

The skills necessary for students to learn to read well are supported by sound curriculum decisions and instructional strategies. The five components of effective early reading (e.g., grades K–3) instruction are as follows:

1. Phonemic awareness, the understanding that the sounds of spoken language work together to make words;

2. Phonics, the relationship between the letters of written language and individual sounds of spoken language;

3. Fluency, the ability to read text accurately and quickly;

4. Vocabulary, the words one must know to communicate effectively;

5. Text Comprehension, understanding what one is reading.

Building Strong Readers in the Early Grades
In North Merrick, we are committed to giving every child a strong foundation in reading.

• Fundations (Kindergarten–Grade 3): Our teachers use the Fundations program, which is based on the science of reading. This program helps students build the essential skills they need to become confident, independent readers through engaging and effective lessons.
• Heggerty Phonemic Awareness (Kindergarten–Grade 2): Each day, our youngest learners take part in short, interactive lessons that strengthen their ability to hear, blend, and break apart sounds in words. These fun activities support the development of early reading and spelling skills.
• Decodable Texts (Kindergarten–Grade 2): With the addition of newly purchased decodable books, students have even more opportunities to practice applying their phonics skills while reading stories that are just right for their level.

Together, these programs give students the tools and confidence they need to grow into lifelong readers.

The mathematics curriculum is grounded in the newly adopted New York State Next Generation Mathematics Learning Standards. The standards reflect revisions, additions, vertical movement, and clarifications to the current mathematics standards. Instruction will continue to emphasize the mathematical process with a focus on the Eight Standards for Mathematical Practice. Utilizing the Savvas Math Curriculum, students will engage in problem-solving and critical-thinking activities while exploring divergent ways to solve problems. Mathematics instruction will balance conceptual understanding with procedural fluency, which enable students to successfully transition to middle school, high school and beyond. Ongoing assessment of student work will guide instruction and serve as a tool to differentiate instruction and meet the needs of all learners.

New York State Standards - Math

The physical education program is designed to promote the health and enhance the quality of each student's life by providing opportunities to attain athletic skills, understand individual and team sports, and develop sportsmanship behaviors necessary to participate in and enjoy physical activities. Adapted Physical Education (APE) is offered to students with motor delays or other disabilities that preclude them from participating in a general physical education class. 

Physical fitness and sports also promote teamwork, skill and enjoyment for everyone. What we learn at play is the importance of a positive attitude and the rewards of fair play. Through moving and learning, we teach the importance of fitness and involve students in regular, vigorous activity. We strive to offer a fun, comprehensive physical education program to foster social skills that enhance cooperation and opportunities for students to pursue health and fitness throughout their lives.

New York State Standards - Physical Education

Teachers: Camp - James Barton (jbarton@nmerrick.org) and Karen Nolan (knolan@nmerrick.org); HDF - John McDaid (jmcdaid@nmerrick.org); OMR - Thomas Biggin (tbiggin@nmerrick.org) and Michael Riggio (mriggio@nmerrick.org; District - Jason Smith (jsmith@nmerrick.org) and Ryan Walsh (rwalsh@nmerrick.org)

Let's Move

Choose My Plate

The science curriculum is based on the New York Learning Standards for Science (NYSSLS). Core ideas build on one another as students progress through grade levels and are grouped into the following four domains: Physical, Life, Earth and Space, and Engineering. North Merrick enhances the program by integrating STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) instruction at all grade levels. To further expand on core ideas and cross-cutting concepts, students in first grade will hatch chicks as part of an Embryology unit, second graders will take trips to the beach to collect marine life as part of a Marine Life unit, and sixth graders will delve into engineering and physics as part of a Buildings and Structures unit. North Merrick has most recently adopted the National Geographic Science program to further immerse students in real-world science practices in grades K-5 and the Savvas Science Program in Grade 6.

New York State Standards - Science

The New York State K-12 Social Studies Framework is designed to prepare students for college, careers, and civic life.  The social studies curriculum is based on inquiry-based learning, big ideas, and a strong research component.  A variety of social studies resources are utilized to meet the NY State Social Studies Framework, including but not limited to McGraw Hill, Savvas and Nassau Boces. The district also integrates a strong literacy component to the social studies program. Students will read and study historical fiction, examine primary and secondary sources, and research, analyze and interpret various documents and text related to social studies coursework.

New York State Social Studies Framework

The district’s enrichment program for gifted students serves fourth through sixth graders in which students work within groups and individually in an accelerated academic environment. The students develop research skills and expand independent thinking, critical and evaluative solution finding, and creative problem solving. Each student’s interests, talents and varied learning styles are addressed in an atmosphere that fosters intelligence, risk-taking and a growth mindset.

Teacher: Mara Karfinkel (mkarfinkel@nmerrick.org)

#soarwithwings