North Bellmore School District Superintendent Marie Testa and Board of Education Trustee Nina Lanci were recently honored at the Women of Distinction ceremony hosted by New York State Sen. Steve Rhoads. 

They were among 17 women recognized at the third annual ceremony, which took place at the Plainview-Old Bethpage Library. The event celebrated women whose leadership, dedication and service have profoundly shaped the communities across Sen. Rhoads’ district.

Mrs. Testa is in her 13th year as superintendent and was previously principal of Martin Avenue and Jacob Gunther elementary schools. She began her career in the district in 1994 as a physical education teacher. This year, Mrs. Testa is serving as the president of the Nassau County Council of School Superintendents, a professional organization representing 56 school districts and Nassau BOCES. 

“I am truly humbled to be named a Woman of Distinction by Sen. Rhoads,” Mrs. Testa said. “As superintendent of North Bellmore, I am fortunate to work alongside a dedicated school community in supporting our students’ growth – not only as learners, but as kind and compassionate people. Standing among such extraordinary women, whose stories were deeply inspiring, was both grounding and uplifting. Their quiet strength and meaningful contributions are a powerful reminder of what’s possible when women lead with vision and determination. I remain committed to serving with integrity, to uplifting all students, and to championing not only women, but the young women who will grow to become the next generation of leaders.”

Ms. Lanci has been a Board of Education trustee for more than two decades and has served as president several times, most recently in the 2024-25 school year. She is also one of North Bellmore’s two representatives on the Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District Board of Education and is vice president this year. 

A past president of the Martin Avenue Elementary School PTA, Ms. Lanci is a longtime community leader. She is a past president of the Bellmore Lions Club and is currently serving as treasurer. 

“To be recognized alongside so many other remarkable women for doing the work I love most to do, helping my community in whatever way I can, is a tremendous honor,” Ms. Lanci said. 

 

 

Date Added: 10/6/2025

A cup-stacking challenge in Alexis DiCapua’s class at Park Avenue Elementary School helped fourth graders start the year off with a teamwork mentality. Students have been learning about being active members of the classroom community, and how they can work together to solve problems through collaboration. 

The class read “Someone Builds Dreams” by Lisa Wheeler, a book that emphasizes the importance of teamwork and how every individual contribute to the process. Students learned that it takes more than once person to create a vision and bring it to life, and have been applying this principle in the classroom. 

Fourth graders participated in a STEM activity in which each group received an assortment of plastic cups, a rubber band and a piece of string. The goal was to stack the cups but students couldn’t use their hands. They had to strategize, communicate and problem-solve to build their towers. They wouldn’t be successful without each team member playing an important role in the activity.  

“The lesson was all about building trust and communication skills,” Ms. DiCapua said, “proving that with a little creativity and a lot of collaboration, anything is possible.” 

Click here to view the Fourth Graders Build Relationships and Towers slideshow.

 

Date Added: 10/2/2025

To support kids both locally and globally who have battled cancer, students and staff in the North Bellmore School District participated in Go Gold Day for Childhood Cancer Awareness Month on Sept. 26. It has been an annual tradition on the last Friday of September for more than a decade.  

At Newbridge Road Elementary School, the participation was very high, with students donning yellow and gold T-shirts, shorts, pants, shoelaces and hair accessories. Principal Amanda Licci said that although it is only one day a year, they intentionally wear gold, the mission is to spread awareness all the time in support of youngsters battling a terrible illness.  

The PTA Coordinating Council provide keychains for students and staff with messages like “Believe” and “No one fights alone,” along with symbols such as gold ribbons, hearts and wings. 

“For some of us, it hits close to home,” she said, as several children in the district have battled cancer in recent years. “Wearing gold is just a symbol that we’re all thinking of one another and all in this fight against childhood cancer together.”

 

Click here to view the Students Have Golden Hearts for Childhood Cancer Awareness 25-26 slideshow.

Date Added: 9/29/2025

Fourth graders at Park Avenue Elementary School are up for any challenges that come their way, thanks to inspiration from Bryson the Brave Bison. Students in Lauren Manginelli’s class learned how bison run into the storm, instead of away from it, and are using that lesson for their own personal growth.  

Ms. Manginelli read students the book, “Bryson the Brave Bison” by Nate Davenport and Luke Freshwater, about a bison who shows his herd how to face a storm and overcome a challenge through bravery and self-confidence. She even brought a stuffed bison into the classroom to help students connect to the character.  

Children often face tasks that are hard, Ms. Manginelli said, and the goal is to inspire them to “run into the storm.” They recently completed worksheets identifying challenges they want to overcome and creating an action plan to do so. Some of their goals include getting better at writing or math, playing an instrument and building better relationships with classmates or siblings.  

Throughout the year, students will write down the challenges they face and post it to an interactive bulletin board. By the end of the year, they will see all of the challenges they have conquered.  

 

Click here to view the Fourth Grade Herd Takes on Challenges at Park Avenue slideshow.

 

Date Added: 9/25/2025

To create a community of welcoming, Martin Avenue Elementary School joined with the Sandy Hook Promise for the “Start With Hello” initiative from Sept. 15-19.

Principal Dr. Yannucci said this was the first year the program has been held at Martin Avenue, with a week of activities designed to strengthen the school community and empower students to build stronger peer relationships. There were also schoolwide spirit days in which students wore mismatched clothes, grade-level colors, shirts with positive or encouraging words and superhero attire.

Students in grades 4-6 took part in an interactive session, “The Power of Language.” During the presentation and discussion, they explored the lasting impact of words – how they can bring people together or cause harm. They discussed strategies to foster a positive school climate and learned the importance of interrupting hurtful language.

“It taught us a really meaningful lesson,” sixth grader Tyler Mattes said of the engaging and relevant presentation. “Don’t say things that put people down.”

His classmate, Delilah Lira, added that she and her classmates gained a better understanding of how to use their words in a positive way.

All students completed a Heart of Unity pledge. On paper hearts, they wrote ways to include others and the hearts were then added to a bulletin board to build the wall of unity. In the Heroic Kindness Quest, students were challenged to complete three secret kindness missions. Bingo Buddies Challenge was a way for students to learn about each other and make new friends. Students in grades K-3 attended a community building assembly.

Dr. Yannucci said he hoped that Start With Hello would show students how simply being welcoming can make a positive impact on their school and community.

“We need to keep reaching out, checking in on each other and extending kindness, care and respect,” he said. “Everything we do is working toward creating an inclusive school environment.”