STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- With the theme "Magna Carta: Symbol of Freedom Under Law," the Richmond County Bar Association staged its annual Law Day Thursday in state Supreme Court, St. George. This year marks the 800th anniversary of the signing of the Magna Carta. The historic document serves as the model for today's legal system, explained Supreme Court Justice...

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- With the theme "Magna Carta: Symbol of Freedom Under Law," the Richmond County Bar Association staged its annual Law Day Thursday in state Supreme Court, St. George.

This year marks the 800th anniversary of the signing of the Magna Carta. The historic document serves as the model for today's legal system, explained Supreme Court Justice Charles Troia, the keynote speaker, who addressed students from PS 29, Castleton Corners; New Dorp High School, and the New World Preparatory Charter School, Port Richmond, as well as colleagues on the bench and members of the bar.

"We are here today to honor the law," Judge Troia instructed students. "The law affects every aspect of our lives," he said. "A civilized society needs laws. If we didn't have laws, we wouldn't be able to function."

Students Dominique Smyler of New Dorp High School; Gregory Lugo and Alyssa Mendoza of New World Prep, and Nicholas Weinman of PS 29, also made presentations on the law and the Magna Carter. PS 29 fifth-grader Xavier Wrobleski recited the Pledge of Allegiance, following the presentation of the flag by members of the uniformed New York State Court Officers.

Attorney Anthony Bisignano was presented with the Richmond County Bar Association's Justice Thomas Sullivan Award. Bisignano had coordinated the Law Day program for 25 years, before passing the torch to colleague William Barillari, this year's chairman. He was also cited for his pro bono work in the community. Bisignano accepted the award with his wife, Kathy, and two of his four sons, Chris and Nicholas, by his side.

"This day, Law Day, is about the students," said Bisignano, who teaches a law class, pro bono, at his alma mater, Monsignor Farrell High School. He said for many students Law Day is their first impression of the judicial system. Over the years, some have gone on to become practicing attorneys.

National Law Day was established by Congress more than 50 years ago, during the administration of President Dwight D. Eisenhower. Courts throughout the country observe the day during early May, with educational presentations and other events for students and the public.

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- The NYPD will be offering its annual Youth Police Academy at both New Dorp High School and Curtis High School this summer.   The free program will run for six weeks, from July 6 to Aug. 14 at both locations for boys and girls, ages 10 to 16. Participants will attend either school five days a week,...

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- The NYPD will be offering its annual Youth Police Academy at both New Dorp High School and Curtis High School this summer.  

The free program will run for six weeks, from July 6 to Aug. 14 at both locations for boys and girls, ages 10 to 16.

Participants will attend either school five days a week, from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., and will engage in a variety of activities throughout the curriculum, including:

• Police demonstrations and lectures regarding bullying, gun safety, health awareness, gang resistance and drug prevention.
• Daily group sessions involving health and fitness, sports, board games and arts and crafts.
• Weekly field trips around the borough for recreational time between kids and cops (bowling alleys, movie theaters, etc.)

"The Youth Academy tries to mimic the actual NYPD Police Academy," said Officer Lorraine Marin of the NYPD Community Affairs Bureau, who coordinates the program. "But it's also a bunch of fun."

The Youth Police Academy -- which has been organized by Officer Marin on Staten Island since 2011 -- has been in existence for more than 20 years. Since its inception, the program has been aimed at providing youths with motivation to better themselves in their personal lives.

"We push them because they are so much more capable than they think they are," said Officer Marin, who also directed the recent "Cops & Kids" basketball league. "It really helps the kids build character."

At the end of the program, students from academies citywide will be invited to the Barclays Center in Brooklyn for an award ceremony hosted by Police Commissioner William Bratton.

The academy has been run out of New Dorp the past five years -- with 300 participants attending last year. This is the second year Curtis High School will simultaneously be welcoming the program. 

Students should wear comfortable, athletic attire when they arrive -- such as T-shirts, shorts and sneakers. Breakfast, lunch and all field trip transportation will be provided weekly, free of charge. 

Applications, which can be picked up at any NYPD precinct on Staten Island or printed from the www.nypd.gov website, must be completed and mailed in before Friday, May 29.

For further information, you can contact Officer Marin at 646-373-0367 or the Youth Services Office at 718-834-8824.

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Eden II celebrated the completion of its new $7.5 million autism center in Stapleton Friday, dedicating the facility in honor of former Borough President James Molinaro, for championing the cause of  Staten Island families of children with autism, and raising awareness of the condition.  A formal ribbon-cutting ceremony and guided tours of the building, was...

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Eden II celebrated the completion of its new $7.5 million autism center in Stapleton Friday, dedicating the facility in honor of former Borough President James Molinaro, for championing the cause of  Staten Island families of children with autism, and raising awareness of the condition.

 A formal ribbon-cutting ceremony and guided tours of the building, was capped off with a reception for staff and supporters.

The new "Hon. James P. Molinaro Center for Autism" -- a 30,000-square-foot building at 15 Beach Street, that was once the home of Staten Island Savings Bank, and later, the Staten Island Children's Museum -- is the realization of a dream that began with a capital campaign more five years ago, supplemented by an infusion of city funding.

The project was dealt a setback when Hurricane Sandy struck in 2012, flooding the basement and knocking out elevator service, but supporters persevered, and were able to obtain the more than $100,000 needed to make repairs.

The new facility aims to provide an innovative approach to helping children and young adults with autism, that moves away from a typical classroom setting.  Part of the agency's mission is to build independent life skills to provide a better quality of life and to maximize participants' potential.

"DIFFERENT AND NEW"

"It's not necessarily just sitting at a desk and learning mathematics skills, but it's putting together real life experience," explained Eden II executive director Joanne Gerenser.

"Some of our students may not be able to tie their shoes or make their bed, and do things that might really help their quality of life, which is part of our mission."

"It's bringing the real world into the school for them, and helping them understand how to bring themselves and their family out, so they can do things they enjoy together. It's very different and very new."

The classrooms throughout the new building have both school and "real-life" settings that include a barber shop, computer lab, woodworking shop, office, cafe, art lab, and a teaching kitchen.

 Students between the ages of 10 and 21 will be using the building. There are apartment-style classrooms set up with a bedroom, living room, kitchenette and bathroom, so that  students can learn simple tasks and daily independent living skills most people take for granted.

The new structure will also serve as headquarters for Eden II programs.

Eighteen-year-old Meghan Mattei, of Prince's Bay, who has attended Eden II since she was three years old, said she couldn't wait for the ribbon-cutting. "I'm so excited," she said. "Now we will have a real school, with a cafeteria and everything."

Her parents, Mia and Stephen Mattei, said Meghan helped raise money for her new school by having periodic yard sales, selling her old clothes, toys, and other items.

Guests touring the building, who included Molinaro, Assemblyman Matthew Titone (D-North Shore) and Councilwoman Debi Rose (D-North Shore) --  were impressed by the spacious, brightly-lighted rooms, some with a view of New York Harbor.

The first floor houses offices for staff; the second floor, a colorful cafeteria and cafe The third and fourth floors contain vocational classrooms, including  a mock-apartment. A conference room, with a harbor view, is located on the fifth floor.

MOLINARO AMAZED

"I'm really amazed by what they were able to do here," said Molinaro, who visited  rooms on all five floors of the center.

"We on Staten Island do not have  better champion for autism than the Honorable James P. Molinaro," Ms. Gerenser said, unveiling a sign that will be displayed in the front lobby of the school.

While in office Molinaro unveiled his "Stand Together for Autism Services on Staten Island," in 2010, following up by organizing his Borough President's Committee on Autism, and hosting his annual Autism Resource Fair for parents. He also channeled city funding to Eden II, and other borough organizations serving families of autistic children.

Molinaro, who repaid the compliment, calling Ms. Gerenser a "visionary" for her work with autism, said he is still championing the cause, looking into creating a respite center, where Island families can safely drop off an autistic child for the weekend. "It can be done. I'm looking forward to that day," he said.

"We have a moral obligation to help these children, these families in our community, who need something to give them hope," his  said, his voice choking up.

Students and staff are expected to be in the new building before July, Ms. Gerenser said; the school is waiting for its certificate of occupancy from the city Buildings Department.

The school is also $1 million short of its fund-raising goal of $7 million, and is still accepting donations, she said. She announced a $100,00 donation Friday from The Staten Island Foundation. Donations can be made by phone, by texting the word DONATE, to 718-395-6718.

Eden II School was founded in 1976 on Staten Island with six children and one special education teacher. Over the last 39 years, Eden II has developed many integral programs and services for individuals with autism. Each year, approximately one in 88 children is diagnosed with some form of autism, according to Eden II.

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Catholic school teachers continued their series of one-day strikes Monday, with teachers walking the picket line at one of the borough's largest schools, Our Lady Star of the Sea in Huguenot. This time the 20 tenured teachers were joined by more than a dozen parents, as they carried signs reading: "Unfair Labor Practice Strike." A...

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Catholic school teachers continued their series of one-day strikes Monday, with teachers walking the picket line at one of the borough's largest schools, Our Lady Star of the Sea in Huguenot.

This time the 20 tenured teachers were joined by more than a dozen parents, as they carried signs reading: "Unfair Labor Practice Strike." A few carried signs reading: "Threatening to close our schools is an unfair labor practice" as they walked along Amboy Road near Huguenot Avenue. Cars on Amboy Road honked their horns in support.

"I support the teachers," said parent Maria Ciccia, who has three children in the school. "These teachers are wonderful and very dedicated to the school and the children they teach. This is sad; I wish they would get a fair wage."

The school remained open, with classes covered by non-tenured teachers -- who were advised by the union to come in to avoid reprisals -- as well as administrators and staff.

Teachers at Sacred Heart School, West Brighton; Our Lady Help of Christians in Tottenville, and St. Charles School, Oakwood, walked out on May 5, while teachers at Our Lady Queen of Peace School, New Dorp, and high school teachers at Notre Dame Academy, Grymes Hill, staged a similar strike on May 1.

UNION CLAIMS 'UNFAIR LABOR PRACTICES'

The Federation of Catholic Teachers (FCT), the union based in New Springville that represents more than 2,600 lay teachers in nearly 150 schools from Staten Island to Poughkeepsie, has filed unfair labor practices against the New York Archdiocese's Association of Catholic Schools. The ACS is the bargaining arm of the archdiocese.

The union said teachers were initially offered a 1-percent wage increase, but were later told that the archdiocese would have to close up to 10 more schools per year if they accepted it. 

Dr. Timothy McNiff, superintendent of schools for the archdiocese, distributed two separate letters directly to teachers and parents, saying more schools would have to close if the teachers received even a very small wage increase. Teachers have been working without a contract since September.

FCT president Julia Pignataro said the letters from McNiff are a violation of state labor laws governing collective bargaining.

In his second letter, dated May 1, McNiff said an audit conducted by the accounting firm of KMPG found the school system in the 10-county archdiocese had a $26 million deficit.

Two years ago, the archdiocese re-organized schools into a regional system, which involved painful closures of schools.

Six Staten Island schools were closed in the process and a seventh was merged with another. After its last round of school closures in 2013, the archdiocese vowed it was through, and schools were in the black. As part of its reorganization into a regional system, each parish is now assessed a "school tax" that is supposed to go toward supporting schools in the region.

Staten Island Technical High School ranked 44th among the top 100 schools in the country, and 6th among the top 10 schools in New York State, in the prestigious U.S. News and World Report's 2015 rankings released Tuesday.

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Staten Island Technical High School has again made the ranks of the nation's top high schools.

The New Dorp school ranked 44th among the top 100 schools in the country, and 6th among the top 10 schools in New York State, in the prestigious U.S. News and World Report's 2015 rankings released Tuesday.

It was also ranked among the nation's top high schools for science, engineering, technology and mathematics (STEM).

The school received U.S. News' Gold Award for all-around excellence.

Tech is one of nine special admission high schools in the city; students are admitted based on their score on the Specialized High School Admissions Test given each fall.

The report noted that Tech students:

• Have the opportunity to take Advanced Placement (AP) course work and exams; the AP participation rate at Staten Island Technical High School is 96 percent.

• The student body makeup is 57 percent male and 43 percent female, and the total minority enrollment is 41 percent.

• Total enrollment is 1,168, and the school employs 56 faculty members.

• Thirty percent of the students were classified as "economically disadvantaged" under federal poverty guidelines.

• One hundred percent of all students were deemed "proficient" in English language arts, and 90 percent in math.

• More than 90 percent of all students were deemed as "college ready" after four years, with a graduation rate of 99 percent.

"Congratulations to the faculty, students, staff, parents and alumni on this outstanding achievement and acknowledgement of their dedication and hard work," said Tech Principal Mark Erlenwein, who is himself a Tech graduate.

It's not the first time this school year that Tech was cited for excellence. Last fall the school was ranked number 6 in Newsweek's Top 10 List of America's Best High Schools, and also ranked 22nd out of the top 50 in The Daily Beast's list of top high schools.

Nine of the top 10 high schools in the state are city public schools, with the Bronx's Lehman College High School of American Studies ranked number 1, and number 11 in the country.

City Schools Chancellor Carmen Farina said she was proud and elated by the results of the report. "We have tremendous schools across the city, and I celebrate when our students and educators get the recognition they deserve," she said.

A new poll of New York City voters gives Mayor de Blasio mixed ratings when it comes to his handling of the city's public school system.

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- A new poll of New York City voters gives the mayor lukewarm ratings when it comes to his handling of the city's public school system.

A Quinnipiac University poll out this week surveyed 969 registered voters in the city by phone, seeking opinion on several key issues involving the schools, part of an overall poll on Mayor de Blasio's approval rating. The poll has a margin of error of  3.2 percentage points.

Here are some of the key education findings of the poll:

• Overall, only 41 percent of respondents approved of de Blasio's handling of public schools, down from 48  percent in January.

• By a 2 to 1 margin, voters said they opposed allowing the mayor to "retain complete control over public schools." Sixty percent said the mayor should share control with other elected officials.

• Fifty-four percent of voters are not satisfied with the quality of public schools, and gave the mayor's appointee, Schools Chancellor Carmen Farina, a 32 percent job approval rating, her lowest grade ever.

• Fifty-seven percent of voters said standardized tests should not be used to evaluate teachers. Fifty-nine percent said the tests are not an accurate way to measure how well students are learning. 

• Voters were divided on whether students should be allowed to refuse to take standardized tests. A total of 47 percent said they should be allowed to opt out, while 49 percent said they should not be allowed to opt out.

• The mayor should increase the number of charter schools in New York City, 39 percent of voters said, while 17 percent said he should decrease the number and 35 percent said the number should be kept the same. The majority of voters, 52 percent, said charter schools co-located in public schools should pay the city rent.

"The mayor's job approval has hit a new low and he's lost a lot of ground on his handling of crime and the schools, two key areas for any mayor," said Maurice Carroll, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Poll.

The most immediate education issue facing de Blasio is mayoral control of city schools. The state Legislature is expecting to vote on the issue in the coming weeks, and could either extend control for another three years as is; extend control for three years with modifications; let the issue sunset, or vote to make mayoral control permanent.

Although de Blasio has said he would like to see mayor control be made permanent, Albany lawmakers have said that's not likely to happen.

Some education advocates, like Staten Island Community Education Council President Michael Reilly, favor a compromise, where mayoral control would be extended from three to five years, before the law would have to come up again before the Legislature.

"In order to provide the best service and protocols for New York City schools we need to ensure our state Legislators continue to monitor the progress." Reilly said.

"By enacting a permanent mayoral control law there will be a lack of urgency to monitor the progress to ensure checks and balance over the school system. A five- year mandatory review will establish necessary accountability."

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Staten Island schools will be getting a dozen new substance abuse prevention and intervention specialists (SAPIS), Borough President James Oddo announced Friday. Ten of the new counselors will be assigned to borough public schools and two to Island Catholic schools. The new positions will nearly double the number of counselors assigned to Island schools, Oddo...

"It's not hyperbole to say that (the specialists) really do save lives, and I don't think you could put a price tag on that," Borough President James Oddo said. Oddo announced on Friday that a dozen new substance abuse prevention intervention specialists will be coming to Staten Island schools.(Staten Island Advance/Hilton Flores)

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Staten Island schools will be getting a dozen new substance abuse prevention and intervention specialists (SAPIS), Borough President James Oddo announced Friday.

Ten of the new counselors will be assigned to borough public schools and two to Island Catholic schools.

The new positions will nearly double the number of counselors assigned to Island schools, Oddo noted.

There are currently 12 SAPIS assigned to cover Staten Island's 75 public schools, from Pre-K through high school, and three intervention counselors covering the borough's 29 Catholic elementary and high schools.

The positions are funded through the city's Department of Education (DOE) and the state Office of Alcohol and Substance Abuse Services (OASAS).

In February, Oddo asked the DOE to apply to OASAS for the funding to add more counselors in borough schools, pointing out that Staten Island's School District 31 is the only district in the city that encompasses an entire borough and has the second highest student population of any district in the five boroughs.

"We obviously want more and will continue fighting for more SAPIS," said Oddo. "But, the fact that we are nearly doubling the number of SAPIS in our public schools from 12 to 22, and from three to five in Catholic schools, is a very positive first step and a clear demonstration that city and state agencies are ready, willing, and able to work with us."

Oddo has been working with advocates and experts on various facets of the substance abuse problem on Staten Island, hosting regular advisory council meetings on the local epidemic and spearheading the creation of a new pilot program, "Too Good for Drugs" in elementary schools.

That program, to be launched initially as a pilot in four Island elementary schools, one in each NYPD precinct, is aimed at fifth-graders and pairs students and classroom teachers with police officers during the school day or after-school, to teach students "an evidence-based program that has proven to work," he said.

The need for more SAPIS counselors in the schools is an issue that has come up often in advisory council meetings, he told the Advance.

"It has been obvious that the number of SAPIS is inadequate, given that Staten Island remains at the center of the prescription drug and burgeoning heroin epidemic," he said.

Staten Island has the highest opioid overdose rate in New York City, according to city Health Department data, and the second-highest rate of heroin overdose deaths per 100,000 residents.

Statistics show that alcohol and substance abuse among adolescents and teens is higher on Staten Island than the city average. That applies to all categories of use, including alcohol, marijuana, heroin, cocaine, opioids and other prescription drugs.

"It's not hyperbole to say that (the specialists) really do save lives, and I don't think you could put a price tag on that,"  Oddo said

Substance abuse prevention and intervention specialists are trained to provide:

• Classroom lessons

• Individual and group counseling

• Peer leadership programs

• Positive alternative activities

• Crisis intervention

• Conflict resolution

• Assessments and referrals for mental health and substance abuse services

• School-wide prevention projects

"Students who are at risk for alcohol and substance abuse, gang involvement, suspension from school, disruptive behaviors, and violations of the Discipline Code are referred to SAPIS for intervention services," the DOE states on its website.

The specialists also provide parent workshops on alcohol and substance abuse issues, as well as bullying and violence prevention, and crisis-response services to schools needing support during crisis incidents, according to DOE.

 "Our substance abuse prevention and intervention specialists are a crucial part of our efforts to prevent substance abuse and get our young people on the path to wellness," said Lois Herrera, executive director of the DOE's Office of Safety and Youth Development, which administers the intervention program.

"I am very pleased we were able to increase the number of SAPIS serving Staten Island and we appreciate the leadership of Borough President Oddo on this important issue."
 

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Cardinal Timothy Dolan are  stumping for passage of an education tax credit bill before the end of June, when the state Legislature wraps up its session in Albany. Cuomo and Cardinal Dolan have appeared, both together and separately over the last week, to push the Parental Choice in Education Act, also...

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Cardinal Timothy Dolan are  stumping for passage of an education tax credit bill before the end of June, when the state Legislature wraps up its session in Albany.

Cuomo and Cardinal Dolan have appeared, both together and separately over the last week, to push the Parental Choice in Education Act, also known as the Education Investment Tax Credit bill, that would provide for $150 million in education tax credit annually, to give parents an option of where to send their child to school.

Specifically the proposed legislation would provide:

• Tax credits to low-income families who send their children to non-public schools.

• Tax credits to individuals and businesses that donate to nonprofits that award scholarships to students at those schools.

• Tax credits to public school teachers to purchase classroom supplies.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo speaks about the Parental Choice in Education Act during a rally Sunday at Yeshiva Shaare Torah in Brooklyn. (Photo courtesy Office of the Governor/ Kevin P. Coughlin)

On Sunday, the governor appeared at a Brooklyn yeshiva, and at four Catholic churches in Brooklyn, to promote the legislation.

Last week, he appeared in Buffalo, and on Long Island with Cardinal Dolan to stump for the bill, which is part of his education reforms package.

"This is about fairness and this is about parents choosing the school that is right for their children," Cuomo said in a statement released by his office Sunday.

"We must reward donations to support public schools, give tax credits to teachers who pay for classroom supplies out of pocket, and ease the financial burden on families who exercise choice in sending their children to a nonpublic school."

"This is not a Catholic issue," Cardinal Dolan said in his weekly column in "Catholic New York." "This is an issue for every parochial, private or non-public school that is devoted to the success of it students."

The bill is a slightly tweaked version of the one that failed to pass the Legislature in March, when it was linked to budget negotiations. An Islandwide rally took place back then in support of the legislation, which was first proposed by Assemblyman Michael Cusick (D-Mid-Island).

Officials evacuated Susan Wagner High School in Sea View after someone e-mailed a threat to the principal, police said. Watch video

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- The suspect responsible for Monday morning's bomb scare at Susan Wagner High School taunted the school's principal in an e-mail, according to police.

"Hey, congrats, man. You missed all four bombs. In (sic) blowing them up in 20 minutes," the suspect wrote, according to an NYPD spokeswoman.

It's the second time in five days that a bomb scare led to the Sea View high school's evacuation.

Police have not said whether the two incidents were linked.

Police on Monday said that officers had taken a suspect into custody, but as of 7 p.m. could provide no further information on that person's identity or age, or whether he or she has been charged with a crime.

Authorities do not typically release the name of suspects who are 15 years old or younger.

Police searched the school and determined the threat unfounded, then cleared the way for students to return to the building shortly after 11 a.m.

The school issued the following statement on its website after Monday's incident:

"Please be advised that in order to address an immediate safety concern, Wagner High School initiated an evacuation which lasted for approximately 1 hour 20 minutes this morning. Once we were provided with authorized clearance by the NYPD Emergency Services Unit, all students and staff returned to the school building and are following an abbreviated school schedule."

The 15-year-old was arrested Tuesday and charged with making terroristic threats and aggravated harassment, an NYPD spokesman said.

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- A 15-year-old trying to impress a group of new friends he made playing an Xbox game online is responsible for the bomb threats that forced three evacuations at Susan Wagner High School, a law enforcement source with knowledge of the investigation said.

The teen, a Susan Wagner student whose name is not being released because of his age, was arrested Tuesday and charged with making terroristic threats and aggravated harassment, an NYPD spokesman said.

Because of his age, his case is expected to be handled in Family Court, not Stapleton Criminal Court. One law enforcement source said he lives in Bulls Head.

The teen was egged on by his online friends, whom he met playing an Xbox game, a source said. It's not clear which game they were playing.

The source said the teen sent an e-mail to the Susan Wagner principal on Wednesday, suggesting he empty out the school before it explodes.

The administration evacuated the school, located at 1200 Manor Road in Sea View. After police arrived and searched the building, the teen sent another e-mail saying, "Good job bringing the dogs. Check every class," a source said.

Then, on Monday, he sent another e-mail, according to an NYPD spokeswoman: "Hey, congrats, man. You missed all four bombs. In (sic) blowing them up in 20 minutes."

Police had taken another teen in for questioning Monday, but determined that youth had merely called 911 to report what cops at the time already knew, that the school was being emptied because of a bomb scare, a source told the Advance.

On Tuesday, the suspect phoned Wagner and said, "I'm gonna blow up this [expletive] school. Evacuate now," a law enforcement source said.

Three other schools, Concord High School in Concord, and Curtis and McKee high schools, both in St. George, were also evacuated Tuesday morning after receiving bomb threats. Police are still investigating whether the teen was involved in those threats as well.

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Teachers and staff in New York City public schools will be able to track and measure each student's progress in real time through two new interactive data tools developed by the Department of Education (DOE). The "Progress to Graduation Tracker" will be available to high schools, and the "School Performance Data Explorer" will be available...

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Teachers and staff in New York City public schools will be able to track and measure each student's progress in real time through two new interactive data tools developed by the Department of Education (DOE).

The "Progress to Graduation Tracker" will be available to high schools, and the "School Performance Data Explorer" will be available to all schools, with the intent of more easily and accurately measuring student progress and identifying earlier those students who need help.

"In my many years as an educator, I've always been committed to using data effectively to drive improved outcomes for students and schools," said Schools Chancellor Carmen Farina, who unveiled the new tools Wednesday.

"The new data tools we're releasing today are going to be a tremendous benefit to principals and teachers --- first, by giving them time to focus on instruction instead of having to collect and analyze data themselves, and second, by ensuring they have high-quality data that can inform their instruction and help them meet the needs of every student," she said.

"Progress to Graduation" is the DOE's first data tool to provide real-time information on students,  while the "School Performance Data Explorer" will be the first to provide metrics for the schools. Both programs use spreadsheets to compare academics and other data, in much the same way as other city agencies, including the NYPD, which uses its CompStat system to track crime.

The new tools cost DOE about $70,000 to develop in-house. DOE has put together a step-by-step webinar guide for school staff. The new tools were rolled out for principals earlier this week and will be rolled out for teachers and school staff before September.

The DOE intends to roll out another system before the end of the school year, that's specifically designed for parents, to help them track their child's individual progress.

Authorities are concerned that the culprits may live out of state, making the investigation more difficult, a source close to the investigation said. Watch video

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. - Federal authorities have taken an interest in the wave of bomb scares that have led to almost a dozen school evacuations on Staten Island over the past week.

Though an FBI spokesman would only acknowledge that the agency was "aware of" the bomb scares, a source close to the investigation said that police have, in fact, contacted the FBI.

That news comes as the wave of bomb threats spread to an elementary school Thursday -- a threat forced the evacuation of PS 56 in Rossville, law enforcement sources confirmed.

Officials on Thursday also evacuated Susan Wagner High School in Sea View -- for the fifth time in a week -- and McKee High School in St. George.

An NYPD spokesman said Thursday's high school bomb threats came via e-mail to the city's Department of Education, warning of a bomb in the basement that would explode at 1 p.m.

On Tuesday, police arrested a 15-year-old from Bulls Head, accusing him of making three bomb scares at his own school, Susan Wagner. The teen was looking to impress a group of friends he met on Xbox Live, sources said.

Even after the arrest, the bomb scares continued, and authorities are concerned that the culprits may live out of state, making the investigation more difficult, the source close to the investigation said.

Officials also worry that the threats may be part of a trend that's hit communities like Holmdel, N.J. in recent months, the source said.

On March 31, an "apparent hoax" sent police en masse to Village Elementary School in search for an armed intruder, according to the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office. Other schools in Holmdel were hit by similar hoaxes over the past few weeks.

That type of hoax is commonly referred to as "swatting" - making a bogus 911 call reporting a hostage situation or a similar dire emergency, ensuring that the police send a SWAT team or similar unit to respond.

In September, the FBI arrested Matthew Tollis, a 21-year-old Connecticut resident, accusing him of being part of a ring of Xbox players called "TeAM CrucifiX or Die," or TCOD, responsible for several swatting hoaxes across the country, including Holmdel.

A copy of the complaint against Tollis, which describes the alleged hoaxes in detail, is attached to the bottom of this story.

After the Staten Island hoaxes, the city Department of Education has added more security personnel and network support to Wagner and McKee, and have notified parents about the incidents and the schools' response, officials said.

Department of Education spokesman Jason Fink said on Thursday, "We take these matters very seriously and we are following all appropriate safety protocols. In addition, we are working closely with law enforcement as they investigate these incidents. Whoever is found to be responsible must be held accountable for these actions."

Councilman Steven Matteo (R-Mid Island) said Thursday that he's been working at the scene of several of the bomb hoaxes, and that he spoke to Mayor Bill de Blasio at a press event Thursday.

Matteo said he's calling for a more concentrated city effort in dealing with the hoaxes.

"We need to discuss the overall issue of these calls and these emails that are coming in, and how we collectively deal with them," Matteo said.

Tollis complaint by Staten Island Advance/SILive.com

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Over 900 red-nosed students and faculty members filled the schoolyard at PS 4 in Elltingville Thursday afternoon to help raise awareness for children living in poverty. It was the inaugural "Red Nose Day" --  a day created for people across the country to have fun while donating money for children around the world living in poverty....

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Over 900 red-nosed students and faculty members filled the schoolyard at PS 4 in Elltingville Thursday afternoon to help raise awareness for children living in poverty.

It was the inaugural "Red Nose Day" --  a day created for people across the country to have fun while donating money for children around the world living in poverty.

Laura Reina organized the entire event for her school after going around to numerous Walgreen's stores on Staten Island, purchasing the $1 red noses.

For every nose purchased, 50 cents is donated to needy children worldwide -- which means Ms. Reina and her students single-handedly donated close to $500 for impoverished youths.

"I felt the need to start this because this is another learning experience for the kids at PS 4," said Ms. Reina, who has been a para professional at PS 4 for the past 15 years. "[School] is not just about writing and arithmetic. 

"It's about life and helping people."

Students were shown videos on how "Red Nose Day" helps children in need, faculty members constructed a giant banner and the entire school marched to the school yard during 7th period to take part in a school photo.

"Mrs. Reina has done an outstanding job," announced Principal Suzanne DiMitri to the school yard crowd over a microphone. "And I think she deserves a second round of applause."

NBC will be hosting a TV special Thursday night, featuring the country's favorite comedians, musicians and Hollywood stars.

According to the "Red Nose Day" website, money raised during the Red Nose Day campaign goes to the Red Nose Day Fund, which then distributes grants to charities that benefit children and young people in the US and some of the poorest communities in the world. 

Dressed in black caps and gowns with colorful sashes, on a perfect spring morning, 608 students graduated from Wagner College on Friday.

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Dressed in black caps and gowns with colorful sashes, on a perfect spring morning, 608 students graduated from Wagner College on Friday.

Dr. Richard Guarasci, Wagner College president, commended the graduates for their civic engagement, scholarly research, performances and athletic accomplishments. 

Wes Moore, author of the bestsellers "The Other Wes Moore" and "The Work: My Search for a Life that Matters," was the commencement speaker. 

"What we ask is that while today is about you, that you never forget who tomorrow is supposed to be about," he told the graduates. "The truth is people will stop asking you about what your degree is in or how did you do on that test you took. The question that will never fade is: 'Who did you choose to fight for?'." 

Graduate Kerri Lee Alexander, of Bloomfield, Conn., and Heather Wolf, of Pine Brook, N.J., were the student speakers.

Ms. Alexander spoke of having a voice that matters. "What I've learned on this unconventional journey is that I have a voice, and that it matters -- not because I'm special, but because collectively, as a graduating class, we are special. We are unconventional," she said.

Ms. Wolf, the 2015 Spiro Scholar, spoke of the accomplishments of the class, saying, "Everything we've accomplished, and everything we will accomplish, is due in part to the people sitting under this tent. I don't see strangers in front of me; I see friends. And I feel connected to each of them by that little piece of Wagner pumping in our chests." 

She thanked her 93-year-old grandmother, who was seated in the audience, saying that she "has always emphasized the importance of diction and eye contact. Grandma, there is no one who can deliver a speech better than you."

Here's the list of 2015 graduates:

BACHELOR OF ARTS

Thomas Althoff, Nicole Amato, Tyler Angotto, Kate Arbuckle, Besa Balidemaj, DaeVonte Barnett, Samantha Lynn Bedker, Ian Bertschausen, Alissa Michelle Bianculli, Kaycee Kristina Bock, Katharine Hannah Bragg, Desiree Braithwaite, Lorraine Brancale, Valentina Agatha Briguglio, Kelsey Brown, Molly Adele Brown, Gianna Carli Bruno, Anthony Bulluck, Justin E. Bulova, Jordan Bunshaft, Jessica Burdge, Marcus J. Burton, Nina Michele Camporeale, Brianna M. Carioti, Devin M. Carreiro, Tara Catalano, Francis J. Ciurcina, Annabella Cockerell, John Allan Collini Jr., Tyler Cucciniello, Nicole Curci, Ashley Cutrona, Angela D'Amico, Stephanie Rose DeFilippi, Ava Frances Di Leo, Matthew Dove, Lindsay Estelle Dunn, Phillip Gerard Faccone Jr., Nicole Elizabeth Fallon, Sarah Rebecca Fischbein, Phoebe Adelia Foard, Sam Henry Forin, Kellie Gainey, Kaitlyn Rose Gallagher, Katelyn Anne Gamba, Ryan S. Gambino, Amanda Marie Gomes, Dana Gough, Taylor Marie Grupico Carolyn Jeannine Hagerty, Kayleigh R. Hand, Jordon Harris, Noura Ihab Hassan, Amanda L. Hastings, Meaghan Christine Heaney, Matthew Ryan Hess, Stefanie Ann Hicks, Anna Huddle, Moses Issaka, Danielle Lee James, Ebony C. Jennings, Clarissa Jimenez, Davon Johnson, Matthew Kane, Joy Kertes, Monika Khaltsev, Mariah Alyse Klimowich, Trevor Hamilton Krafnick, Kyle I. Kressman, Thomas J. Lamando, Mallory Hope Lee, Jesse Lyn Leston, Ryann Erin Lillis, Chelsea M. Loesel, Kristen Luisi, Kimberly Ann Madden, Alexandria Magriples, Alyssa Manfredini, Alexis Marquardt, William McCabe, PatriciaAnn McCaffrey, Caitlin A. McCarthy, Rory McDonald, Samuel J. McGee, Meghan Elizabeth McIver, Victoria McLean, Michael J. McMenamin, Paige McNamara, Audriana Mekula-Hanson, Kevin J. Messier, Jeffrey Mills, Abeer Mishal, Alyssa Nicole Molino, Margo Murphy-Gross, Iris Justine Myers, Kaitlin Newlin-Wagner, Ugochi N. Nwaigwe, Patrick James O'Connell, Shannon Christine O'Connor, Stephanie Pagano, Olivia Morgan Paige, Katherine O. Paine, Julia Rose Paladino, Erik R. Parshall, Kelly Frances Passafiume, Erin K. Pentz, Kelly A. Pereira, Lisa J. Peterson, Christina Petruzzi, Tung Pham, Elise Catrina Pizzonia, Michael S. Remini, Ralen Robinson, Alexandra Josephine Roca, Sonja Roinestad, Tea Saiti, Laura Michele Salerno, Thomas Scarcella, Leo Peregrine Schuchert, Emily Rose Shaner, Cynthia T. Shaw, Sarah Shear, Mariah Sherman, Melissa J. Silano, Robyn Lynn Simonetti, Ashley P. Sinodinos, Daniela Sottile, Anna Kate Spears, Kevin D. Spillane, Shelby Mary Steadman, Kate Elizabeth Stewart, Shannon E. Sweeney, Brittany Marie Talvy, Julia Rachel Teichman, Michael Theophano, Christopher Tooker, VyVy Thuy Tran, Nicole Trubish, Tiffany Alicia Turner, Deanna Valdinoto, Emily Vassallo, John Coito Vincent IV, Rachael Iman Walker, Daniel Walsh, Jarrid M. Williams, JaKim Williamson, Grace Eugenia Woodward, Kelly Yamahiro, Zachary Daniel Yesko, Grace Zhang.

BACHELOR OF SCIENCE

Jacqueline Abbatiello, Frank A. Abt IV, Jessica Afeltra, Chantal Denise Marie Agnew, Steven Agro, Sandra S. Ajimavo, Yuliya J. Akhsanov, Nazifa Binte Alam, Kerri Alexander, Patricia M. Altschuler, Alyssa E. Angelinovich, Lisa Angell, Christopher Antonacci, Nadia Asfar, Taylor Beth Aspenleiter, Diana Attakora, Lina Elizabeth Foumilayo Ayechemi, Alyssa Azzinaro, Stephen Joseph Baldo, Paul Joseph Barchitta, Patrick Hildebrandt Barrieu, Anthony Michael Battaglia, Shanaaz Begum, Jennifer Beliard, Candice L. Bellocchio, Katherine L. Bender, Alexandria Berardi, Mark Charles Beyer, Marcella Angela Biordi, Steven William Bloodworth, Courtney M. Boardman, Geoffrey Gordon Bradley, Danielle Brancale, Alyse Brandt, Katie Lynn Brode, Naomi Brouard, Margaret Brown, Danielle Nicole Bruscella, Matthew Bunting, Daniel Burghardt, Rachel M. Burns, Kareem J. Butler, Brett Buzzard, Anthony J. Canella, Alison Caraballo, Colby Carolin, Cody Carpenter, Donna Carrelli, Anthony U. Carrington III, Kelli Casucci, Michael V. Cataldo, Daniel Michael Cavanagh, Kina Chan, Erica Chan, Yan-Yee Cheung, Brittany Ciampi, Tiffany Ann Cina, Mark Cirami, Alysa Hope Cirelli, Jacqueline Cirelli, Ashton Leigh Cline, Christopher J. Clohessy, Madeline Rose Cocchiarella, Jacob Robert Harris Cohen, Adam T. Colantoni, Victoria Collini, Nicole Antoinette Cooper, Allison Mary Cooper, Carmine Coppola, Kimberly Cowles, Yaritza Cruz, Ian Daniel Cunningham, Joseph Daniel Cuomo, Lucia Cuttone, Jenna Marie Davino, Candyce Elise Day, Lauren C. Dazio, Lauren deBlasi, Anthony DeCicco II, David DeCirce, Jonathan D'Elia, Etka Gittel Deutsch, Jarrett Dieudonne, Gina Dimant, Ananda DiMartino, Daniela Anna DiMeglio, Nicholas C. Dini, Anthony DiPadova, Steven T. DiVuolo, Leobardo Nieto Dominguez, Caitlin Donovan, Arielle Rae Dorfman, Pema Dorjee, John Edward Dreslin, Mitchell F. Dressing, James Ducey, Andrew Joseph Dunn, Patrick Dutton, Julia S. Dweck, Salvatore Anthony Emilio II, Anthony R. Emmanuele, Portia Lynn Emory, Alexa Evans, Amanda Falco, Mary Elizabeth Farkouh, Alec Favale, Rosalie Fazio, Danielle Gloria Feliccia, Christopher Felicio, Elizabeth M. Felter, Zach Fenoff, Dante Fernandez, Christine Ferrantelli, Christa Ferreri, Albert Jay Firestone, Joshua James Firkser, Spyridon Fletouris, Patricia Flynn, Laurie L. Fogelstrom, Melissa Frances Foulks, Casey Fox, Alyson Rose Friedman, Bianca Gallipani, Danielle Geli, Danielle Nicole Giannetto, Patrick Gibbons, Amy Elizabeth Gimpel, Thomas M. Goodheart, Jason Andrew Gordon, Amanda Graham, Bryan Grandison, Ralph Greene, Michelle Greenough, Christian Grotewold, Peter Robert Guinta Jr., Yerelyn Gutierrez, Asya Gutman, Albina Guzman, Lauren Victoria Hauer, Veronika P. Hawthorne, Jaspreet Hayre, Shawn-Marie Heiliger, Alexander S. Hernandez, Johnathan H. Hinrichs, Christian D. Hoffmann, Dylan Holderness, Barrett Christine Hollo, James Howell, Katherine Chaela Ivins, Deangelo James, Jeanna Jardine, Anthony Jebran, Grace A. Jetawo, Kathryn Kelly Jimerson, Chandika S. Johnson, Imani T. Jones, Rachel Ruth Jurgielewicz, Tracy Marie Kaczorowski, Michael Richard Kain, Katie Kapitan, Michelle Alyssa Kawko, Victoria Kolemba, Jennifer Jane Kranwinkel, Lauren LaMura, Michael James Lando, Louise Lee, Beth Ellen Lewis, Ana Ng Li, Kristin Lippa, Christopher Gutierrez Lizardo, Fred Douglas Locklary Jr., Amanda LoMonaco, Trevor Loveland, Thomas Gerard Luisi, JoAnna M. Luongo, Kayleigh E. Macchirole, Spencer Macquarrie, Lindsay Elizabeth Macri, Jacob Malakoff, Gabriella Maldonado, Bryan Maley, Najia Malik, Meagan Marie Maniscalco, Richard H. Marchand, Ashley A. Marchese, Anthony Joseph Marion, Michele Marotto, Amanda Alexa Martino, Erin M. Martone, Salvatore J. Mascellino, Adam D. Mayo, Yana Mazurenko, Thomas J. Mazurkiewicz Jr., Sydney Taylor McCarthy, Lauren C. McGoldrick, Keelia Laura McGuire, Shannen McLoughlin, Susan McNiff, Claire E. McVey, George Richard Mead, Timothy Mendez, Salma Metwally, Charles Miller, Dominique Miller, Jessica Mills, Sandra Gabriela

Minchala, Mackenzie Mink, Melissa M. Mistretta, Mary Susan Mitchell, Saquan Mitchell, Jarrod Molzon, Tatiana Monakova, Ivonne Moran, Meghan Morrissey, Katherine Mulraney, Mayar M. Mussa, James Naglieri, Claudia Rose Najar, Mikhail Nasimov, Samuel Nathan, Hugo Naurais, Matthew J. Netta, Trey Anthony Nicosia, Dominga Lynn Cooper Noe, Nathaniel Nwosu, Evan Odeseye, Angela Ortiz, Yamir A. Ortiz, Joey Pallotto, Maria L. Papaioannou, Orlando Isaiah Parker, Kelsey Parker, Brandon F. Pavlik, Noelle J. Pawlicki, Emily E. Pereira, Vanessa Catarino Pereirinha, Emily Perrelle, Anthony V. Peruso, Leonard Pesce, Melissa Ashley Phipps, Lisa S. Pitkof, Darya Polovinka, Nicole Poppas, Demi Poznak, Evon Frank Previte, Sophia M. Puleio, Stephanie Pustizzi, Patrycja Radzik, Jena Rakhman, Lauren A. Raynor, Helen D. Read, Kari Rezac, Grace Alice Rezendes, Marianne Ricetti, Jenna Rispoli, Anthony J. Rivers, Katherine Marie Robertson, Nicole Rodriguez, Julie Anne Roggeveen, Erica Rossi, Giacomina Ruggiero, Lauren E. Russell, Tavia K. Rzasa, Angela Rosa Sabetta, Stephanie Lissette Salinas, Holly Santapaga, Miguel A. Santiago III, Cory Santor, Amanda M Santoro, Megan Sardella, Katrina Marie Schindlar, Max Schmardel, Lisa Schultz, Maria Scopellito, Michael Scrocco, Christina Seccondro, Christiana Sellitti, Alexandria St. John Sethares, Fatbardha Shala, James Forbes Sheehan, Maykl Sher, Samantha E. Sides, Sarah Mary Sidhom, Rebecca Siegel, Bailey J. Simmonds, Matthew L. Sinopoli, Shawn Boyce Smith, Daniella Smolyansky, Kristen Socci, Ayodele Ashley Sodipo, Victoria Spector, Alyssa Spinosa, Brendan J. Stackhouse, Veronika Stankevitch, Morgan Stoner, Steven Storniolo, Tess I. Studholme, Kyle C. Sullivan, Salvatore Vincent Susino, Madison Paige Sylvester, Lynn Tay, Chaz N. Taylor, Jessica E. Teresco, Deborah Thorne, Emily A. Thornton, Virginia Tiralosi, Daniella Trantino, Gabriella Trantino, Andrew M. Tresca, Alison Catherine Turner, Muhammet Zihni Vardar, Kirti Varma, Phillip Andrew Vellon, Maureen Reilly Vetter, Vincent Vitulli, Christine Marie Waldhof, Daniel J. Wasilick, Kristina Marie Waters, Brianne D. Whalen, Nevon Christopher Williams, Edward Wolf, Heather Marie Wolf, Carrie Lynn Wyskiel, Ryan Gregory Wytanis, Xuegin Xin, Jada M. Yearwood, Alen Yoo, Alexandra Young, Hany F. Youssef, Jadd Zahrieh, Brittany Zinke, Philip J. Zuffi Jr.

MASTER OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

Bara Yousef Asfour, William F. Aston-Reese, John Avona, Giuseppe Badalamenti, Eric Tyler Boskey, William Bradley, Edward F. Brown, Matthew Burgos, Vincenza Caggiano, El Hassen Chelghoum, Kate Lynn Chimienti, Anupam Kumar Choubey, Steven Andrew Ciocci, Courtney L. Collyer, Nicholas De Matteo, Kevin Dobes, Alphonso S. DuHart Jr., Veronick Fournier, Alyssa Grecco, Manfred K. W. Groth, Jillian Hennessy, Jonathan Horsley, Daniel Huff, Katherine Jordan, Robert Joseph, Annika Karlsson, Marko Kepi, Steven King, Allison Christine Kosich, Salome Mkervalidze, Houda Mohammad, Pasquale G. Morea, Bonnie Negron, Hayden Lanz Palozej, William Richards, Matthew Shapiro, Vicky Sun, Sarah Elizabeth Tanner, Vincent Theurer, Nicole Todisco, Maria Tommasini, Gabriel Velazquez, Brian Walsh, Kenneth James Whitman.

MASTER OF SCIENCE, Faiz Abed, Cecilia Ajang, Hamzah M. Alfarshooty, Hitham A. Alghamdi, Anwar Haider Alhaider, Sultan Fahad Alnomasy, Rana S. Alsaif, Ijeoma Nneka Amobi, Brittney Rose Ayala, Blake Bascom, Michael Beck Jr., Judith M. Betz, Megan Brown, Michele Buffalino, Deborah Burg, Alison Calandra, Kacie Alexa Caldwell, Matthew Cangro, Shujun Cao, Carmelle K. Cime, Daniel Cimilluca, Alain Nino Panaligan Cinco, Kara Michelle Clark, Joanne Comber, Joseph Compitello, Thomas Crews, Joseph Daniel Cuomo, Nicole D'Angelo, Brenna Marie Elizabeth Dean, Sandra Joy Dela Vega, Diana DeLuca, Vincenzo Dimaggio, Carolyn D. Dixon, Andrea Dombek, Ashraf Saad Dwal, Kardine Escobedo, Jacqueline Fagoni, Tolulope Falana, Amanda Faraj, Leyla Ali Farraj, Anthony Fiumefreddo,

Tara R. Flanagan, Erik Francomano, Romina Gadaleta, Michael Keith Gailband, Paul Germano, Daniel Joseph Golembe, Caitlin K. Griffin-Mackey, Nicole Guzzardi, Michael J. Hess, Zachary Iken, Nicole Marie Jaccarino, Sissey Elizabeth Jose, Antonio Kamel, Tatyana A. Kateva, Amanda Ann Klesny, Shagraa M. Kriri, Valerie LaFata, Antonietta Lamberti, Rick Leung, Trevor Loveland, Richa Magan, Brianna Malvone, Anna Martinez-Kim, Kristen McCauley, Carolyn Meehan, Michael Migliorini, Bonnie Mishen, Nereus Mogaria, James Michael Molly II, Lesly Marcus Moran, Reem A. Nafisah, Everlyne A. Namunyu, Christina Neri, Anne Gia Mar Noble, Jenna Novak-Curran, Christina Parello, Megan Pawlowski, Andrew John Peana, Jacqueline Perez, Tinamarie Petrizzo-Hughes, Anthony Petro, Joseph Picerno, Paul Ranieri, Olesya Raylyan, Josephine Ricci, Yelena Sabsovich-Osores, Anthony Silvery, Jacqueline Marie Simonson, Kristina Sims, Kathryn Elizabeth Smith, Lora Staples, Eden Stark, Thamir Mamtouh Sulaimani, Kylie Tanabe, Jennifer Tesoriero, Jonathon C. Varveris, Seida Velija, Jessen Venord, Dana Volini, Thomas Votto, Zllatko Vurmo, Meredith Ward, Stephanie Hannah White, Ann Victoria Wickers, Ashley Yannotta, Mark Yousef.

MASTER OF SCIENCE IN EDUCATION

Amanda Alioto, Christina Barclay, Catherine Rose Clement, Tatum Colitz, Teresa Conigliaro, Alyssa Connors, Diana Nicole Creutz, Randy Donohue, Kyle Duggan, Giavonna Dupree, LeeAnn Dwan, Caitlin Fifield, Lauren Elizabeth Flynn, Daniel J. Ford, Taylor Fredrickson, John Gazerwitz, Alanna Gibbons, Casi Hochkeppel, Laura Rose Karbach, Katie Kilgannon, Jennifer Langell, Stephanie Lemansky, Daniela Christina Mandara, Caitlin McGregor, Phyllis Nagrowski, Emily Navarro, Jillian Faith Porrino, Samantha Siderowitz, Sara Signorelli, Breanne Sweeney, Renada Leigh Craig Vuono, Sanela Zuberi.

With the college graduation season in full swing, here's something for members of the newly-minted Class of 2015 to ponder: Will your college degree pay off? The answer is yes. . .and no, according to a new report that ranks 137 college majors based on how much workers end up earning during their careers.

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- With the college graduation season in full swing, here's something for members of the newly-minted Class of 2015 to ponder: Will your college major pay off?

When it comes to earnings, majors matter more than degrees. The study, titled The Economic Value of College Majors, found that college graduates earn about $1 million more than high school graduates, but college graduates in high-paying majors can average $3.4 million more over time than the lowest-paying majors in liberal arts, education, and social sciences.

The report, by the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce, used 2013 census data to analyze wages for 137 college majors, including the wages of graduates who go on to earn advanced degrees.

It also detailed the most popular majors, the majors most likely to lead to an advanced degree, and the economic benefit of earning an advanced degree, by undergraduate major.

"We've known for awhile that all degrees are not created equal, that your major has a large effect on your ability to get a job and work your way up a career ladder," said Anthony P. Carnevale, the center director and the report's lead author.

"But a college major isn't destiny. For example, the top 25 percent of humanities and liberal arts majors earn more than the bottom 25 percent of engineering majors," he added.

The report's major findings are:

• Eighty percent of college students study a major linked to careers, while 20 percent major in humanities, liberal arts, social sciences, and arts.
• STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics), health, and business majors are the highest-paying, leading to average annual wages of $37,000 or more at the entry level and an average of $65,000 or more annually over the course of a recipient's career.
• Of the 25 highest-paid majors, economics and business economics are the only two that are not in a STEM field.
• The 10 majors with the lowest median earnings are: early childhood education ($39,000); human services and community organization ($41,000); studio arts, social work, teacher education, and visual and performing arts ($42,000); theology and religious vocations, and elementary education ($43,000); drama and theater arts, and family and community service ($45,000).

Business and STEM majors --two of the highest-paying --are also the most common, accounting for 46 percent of college graduates, the report found.

A list of the most popular majors among students at the College of Staten Island, Willowbrook, is a mixed bag. Business majors top the list, followed by pyschology, education, nursing, and sociology and anthropology majors.

Caryl Watkins, director of CSI's Career and Scholarship Center, said the choice of majors tends to reflect student concern with reconciling "paycheck" and "passion."

"There's always a cycle of 'hot' careers, but we tend to advise students to choose majors and careers based upon aptitude, interest, and, occasionally, even passion," she said.

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Law enforcement agents across New York State issued 1,186 tickets to motorists who illegally passed stopped school buses during "Operation Safe Stop Day." The ticket blitz came on April 16 as part of Gov. Andrew Cuomo's Transportation Committee's plan to crack down on motorists who disobey school bus safety traffic laws. "The goal of Operation Safe...

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Law enforcement agents across New York State issued 1,186 tickets to motorists who illegally passed stopped school buses during "Operation Safe Stop Day."

The ticket blitz came on April 16 as part of Gov. Andrew Cuomo's Transportation Committee's plan to crack down on motorists who disobey school bus safety traffic laws.

"The goal of Operation Safe Stop is to reduce fatalities and personal injuries of school children through the use of high-visibility enforcement with the secondary goal of educating motorists of the dangers of illegally passing stopped school buses," said Chuck DeWeese, assistant commissioner of the Governor's Traffic Safety Committee (GTSC), in a statement. "There are still far too many drivers illegally passing stopped school buses in our state. ... GTSC has identified passing a stopped school bus as a dangerous driving behavior and we will continue to support law enforcement's efforts statewide to curb drivers of this reckless behavior."

The effort was coordinated with the New York Association for Pupil Transportation (NYAPT) and involved police from 108 agencies across 46 counties.

According to state law, a first-time violator faces a $250 to $400 fine, five points on his or her license, and possibly 30 days in jail.

Here's the breakdown of city summons totals for motorists passing stopped school buses in the month of April:

• Manhattan: 237 summonses
• Brooklyn: 201 summonses
• The Bronx: 186 summonses
• Queens: 123 summonses
• Staten Island: 32 summonses

Since the start of the school year in September through this past April, police have issued 184 tickets for the moving violation on Staten Island, according to the most recent NYPD summons data.

While borough violations were fairly evenly spread between precincts during this school year, the South Shore's 123 Precinct recorded 59 passing stopped school bus violations -- the most of any local precinct since September. (The borough precinct average was 46 summonses.)

"New York State has 2.3 million students who ride school buses every day," said DMV Deputy Commissioner Terri Egan in a press release. "Illegally passing a stopped school bus presents real dangers for our children statewide, and I'm proud of the work that the Governor's Traffic Safety Committee and its partners do to raise awareness of this issue.  I urge motorists to obey the law and be prepared to stop when students are boarding or disembarking school buses."

Staten Islanders favor continued mayoral control of city public schools, but want the borough to represented with a second school district, according to a report by Public Advocate Leticia (Tish) James.

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Staten Islanders favor continued mayoral control of city public schools, but want the borough to be represented with a second school district, according to a report by Public Advocate Letitia James.

The public advocate hosted a forum on mayoral control in every borough between February and March to sound out New Yorkers on the issue.

Participants in the Staten Island forum March 3 were generally supportive of mayoral control, rather than ending it.

Residents focused on school governance.

Issues of concern included: a focus on special education; the need for another school district and Community Education Council (CEC) for the North and South Shore neighborhoods; support for PTA participation; increased transparency in the Department of Education (DOE) budget, and training parents to be active participants in the process of school governance.

"The biggest concern we heard was that Staten Island's Community School District 31 has grown too big to adequately represent all the parents and their interests in the borough," Ms. James said. District 31 is the only one of the city's 32 districts to encompass an entire borough.

A second school district, encompassing the North Shore, would bring the borough another superintendent to oversee schools in the district, as well as give parents in the new district an opportunity to serve on a second CEC.

"I don't necessarily think it would be a bad thing to establish a second NYC school district on Staten Island. It would create an opportunity for additional parental involvement," said CEC 31 President Michael Relly.

"Having said that, however, I can't see the DOE establishing a second district for Staten Island," he added. "That would require an additional superintendent and support staff."

"I believe the creation of a second geographical school district on Staten Island would be up to the mayor and schools chancellor. This is similar to the process in which Staten Island advocated and obtained a fourth NYPD precinct," Reilly said.

The public advocate said she would support the idea of a second school district on the Island because it would give parents in the borough more representation and an opportunity for additional involvement.

"We've included this recommendation in our report, titled 'Our Schools, Our Voices: The Future of Mayoral Control in New York City' -- in which we recommend to the Legislature that it renew mayoral control, but with more opportunities for parental participation and engagement," Ms. James said.

The legislation authorizing mayoral control expires at the end of June. The state Assemby voted last month to extend mayoral control of city schools by three years, but the issue remains unresolved in the GOP-controlled Senate.

Over the weekend, at a United Federation of Teachers (UFT) conference in Manhattan, and again at City Hall Monday Mayor Bill de Blasio pushed for a swift vote for a three-year renewal of the legislation. He picked up support from U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer (D-New York) on Sunday.

"Mayoral control works and empowers parents and students by putting accountability where it belongs: with the top elected official in the city," Schumer said in a statement. "The Legislature should extend it without further delay."

Parent to Parent NY, Inc., and the Department of Education's School of Cooperative Technical Education (Co-op Tech) teamed up to expand existing career technical education (CTE) sites and work-based learning opportunities for Staten Island high school teens who want to learn a skilled trade. The New York State Institute for Basic Research (IBR) is a Co-op Tech job site.

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- In the spring of 2014, Parent to Parent NY, Inc., and the  Department of Education's School of Cooperative Technical Education (Co-op Tech) teamed up to expand existing career technical education (CTE) sites and work-based learning opportunities for Staten Island high school teens who wanted to  learn a skilled trade.

The New York State Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities (IBR) in Willowbrook was designated as a work- site for Co-op Tech students. Parent to Parent, NYC,  a support and resource agency for parents of children with special needs, is located on the IBR campus.

Co-op Tech is a half-day vocational program that offers students hands-on training throughout the five boroughs in a variety of in-demand trades areas. Citywide, Co-op Tech serves approximately 1,500 students 16 to 21 years of age and who represent a wide variety of ethnic and cultural backgrounds, ability levels and educational histories. They have a chance to earn a high school diploma or equivalency diploma through the program.

 The 20 or so students attending Co-op Tech's "facility maintenance program" at IBR attend classes in either a morning or afternoon session.

A typical day consists of classroom instruction and work- place experiences in a variety of trade skills including carpentry, environmental landscaping, painting, and custodial skills.

"I have been extremely pleased with the Co-Op Tech student program that we are hosting. I think it is a tremendous opportunity for the students to partake in apprenticeship programs and learn the basic skills involved with building maintenance and landscaping. The students, under the supervision of Mr. Rob Territo, have done an outstanding job and have made major improvements in the appearance and functionality of IBR," said IBR director Dr. Ted Brown.

STUDENTS PREPARE FOR EMPLOYMENT IN THE SKILLED TRADES

Students in the program move on to employment in the electrical, plumbing and janitorial fields. Some of the members of the current class, who graduate  June 9, are enrolled in skilled pre-apprentice programs to prepare them for union jobs.

For this year's project, students put their skills to work outdoors, clearing debris and overgrowth from IBR grounds, and landscaping the area around the entrances to the main building and clinic.

Their hard work paid off as they learned new skills. Students said they were pleased with the results.

"My time spent at the IBR Co-op Tech work-site has been an excellent educational experience. I've learned all the necessary skills I need to succeed and go on as I continue my career in the workforce. The program has helped create the bridge to the next chapter in my life," said student Onielo Louis DeLuzio

"This program taught me the ability to work well with others and the skills I will need to progress later in my future." said Lucas Saavedra.

"IBR was a very good bridge to get ready for construction skills.  I have learned a lot about construction. When I entered the program I didn't know what it took to work on a job site, Frank Polizzotto explained.

"The program taught me how to use a variety of power tools and how to use those tools in building maintenance, landscaping and carpentry. This will help me do repairs in my future home, "  said Luke Lewis    

Victor Fattorusso said he learned "people skills" as well as job skills. "The program was a great experience I will never forget. The Co-Op Tech program taught me the trades I need to know in life. I learned how to work well with others. I also learned how to use a variety of power tools. I look forward to continuing my education in carpentry and building a future career," Fattorusso said.

Classmate Winston Gonzalez had a similar experience. "I learned janitorial and masonry work, but I've learned how to become a better man in this program.  I  learned how to work well with others which is a good thing to know on a worksite," he said.

The Department of Education has unveiled a new, free mobile app, NYC Schools, that will allow parents to check on their child's attendance, report card grades and test scores, and access other information on file at the child's school.

Parents can sign up for a new app allowing them to track their child's progress in school. (Photo courtesy DOE)

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Parents, do you need to check on your child's progress in school every now and then?

There's an app for that.

The Department of Education has unveiled its new, free mobile app that will allow parents to check on their child's attendance, report card grades and test scores, and access other information on file at the child's school.

Parents can sign up for a NYC Schools account starting Monday, by using their personal e-mail addresses, and creating a secure password. They must sign up for an account at their child's school, where their identities can be verified. Student data will be encrypted for privacy, according to DOE.

The system goes live in August, when, by that time, school officials will have  students' final report card grades and standardized test scores available.

Although geared to mobile access, the account can be used across digital devices, including smartphones, tablets, laptops, or desk-top computers.

"This exciting new tool will empower families by delivering them timely information in a format that is easy to read on a mobile device -- which is how so many of today's parents access the Internet," said Schools Chancellor Carmen Farina, who unveiled the new app Wednesday.

"By launching NYC Schools accounts, we are encouraging parents to become more involved in their children's education and hold themselves and their students accountable for progress, " she said.

The system was developed in-house at a cost of $2 million, and will cost another $4 million to maintain, according to DOE. NYC Schools replaces the ARIS (Achievement Reporting and Innovation System) that cost $95 million to develop, and has been used since 2007 when it was unveiled by then-Schools Chancellor Joel Klein.

NYC Schools was designed to complement two other new digital tools unveiled by DOE last month. "Progress to Graduation" is the DOE's first data tool to provide real-time information on students,  while the "School Performance Data Explorer" will be the first to provide metrics for the schools.

Borough President James Oddo has named special education advocate Laura Timoney as his appointee to Staten Island's District 31 Community Education Council.

Laura Timoney is Borough President James Oddo's new appointee to the Community Education Council,

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Borough President James Oddo has named special education advocate Laura Timoney as his appointee to Staten Island's District 31 Community Education Council (CEC).

Members volunteer to serve a two-year term and may only be re-appointed for one additional two-year term. Mrs. Timoney's term will begin July 1 and will run through June 30, 2017.

The CEC replaced the former Community School Board in 2004, as a result of legislation that created mayoral control of the city's public schools. The CEC serves as an advisory board to the chancellor regarding the needs of the district and Department of Education policy, advocates for parents, and approves zoning lines for district schools.
 
"The Community Education Council is an important tool for keeping a pulse on schools and making recommendations that will ultimately benefit the children," said Oddo.

"Laura is well-known within the education community, particularly for her dogged advocacy on behalf of special needs students, work that she will continue as my appointee to the CEC. She wants to help children, and she has the background and knowledge that enables her to do just that."
 
Mrs. Timoney is the mother of two children, each attending New Dorp High School, one as a special needs student.

At various times she has served on the board of the Parent-Teacher Association at PS 52, Dongan Hills; Lavelle Preparatory Charter School, Bloomfield; Egbert Intermediate School, Midland Beach, and New Dorp High School. She has also served on the School Leadership Team at PS 52 and Egbert.

She currently serves as second vice president and special education coordinator of the CEC. She had previously been elected to the CEC, but will have to vacate her seat as an elected representative at the end of the month since she no longer has a child in an elementary or intermediate school in District 31. No such requirements exist for borough president appointees.
 
"Putting a special needs child in a big school is scary," said Mrs. Timoney. "When my daughter (who has Asperger's and ADHD) started in the school system, there was little to nothing in terms of resources.  You had to figure it out on your own, take what you've accumulated, understand how DOE works, and create solutions. On the CEC, I have had the opportunity to work with the superintendent, schools, and parents to determine the need."
 
Oddo's other appointee, Jennifer Arlen, was appointed last year.