<p>Step into a world of jazz and upcoming vaudeville stars here at Long Beach High School! From March 14th to 16th, the school&#39;s auditorium transformed into a theater and came alive with four performances of <em>Chicago</em>, a hit Broadway musical that captivated audiences with its two double casted leads, each bringing in their own razzle-dazzle to the stage. Accompanied by a live pit orchestra, the actors delivered a jaw-dropping performance that transported the audience to the vibrant world of 1920s Chicago.</p> <p>For those unfamiliar with the plot, <em>Chicago</emrevolves around the ambitious Roxie Hart, whose dreams of fame take a turn when she shoots her lover, Fred Casely, after he attempts to leave her and end their illicit affair. After being thrown into the Cook County Jail, Roxie crosses paths with her now rival, Velma Kelly, and the two murderesses fight for the spotlight. The two end up sharing the same cunning lawyer, Billy Flynn, who has never lost a female case. As the story unfolds, unexpected alliances form leading to a surprising conclusion where both Roxie and Velma accept their fates.</p> <p>The talented leads of <em>Chicago</emincluded Sarah Heller and Max Rosenzweig (Roxie Hart), Issy Alley and Megan Meyer (Velma Kelly), Stephania Robinson and Justin Frangella (Matron Mama Morton), Nate White and Matthew McCaffrey (Billy Flynn), Josh Cohen and Nanichi Arroyo-Hill (Amos Hart), and Marysol Alvarado (Mary Sunshine). Each actor delivered a captivating performance, showcasing their musical talents and acting skills in a series of unforgettable musical numbers and scenes.</p> <p>The six Merry Murderesses portrayed by Nikki Kane (Liz/&quot;Pop&quot;), Melinda DeSantis (Annie/&quot;Six&quot;), Moon Lyons and Molly Abrams (June/&quot;Squish&quot;), Liz Lynch (Hunyak/&quot;Uh-Uh&quot;), and Shay Brymer (Mona/&quot;Lipschitz&quot;), added depth and dimension to the production with their portrayal of the incarcerated women. The dance troupe, led by Lily Evans (Dance Captain), consisted of the talented dancers: Molly Abrams, Emily Chumpitaz, Grace Egan, Halette Henry, Grace McCarthy, Issy Alley, Justin Frangella, Sarah Heller, Megan Meyer, Stephania Robinson, and Max Rosenzweig. The dancers dazzled the audience with their intricate choreography and stage presence throughout the show.</p> <p>Lastly, the ensemble and supporting cast members, who portrayed the roles of / reporters, police officers, lawyers, etc. contributed greatly to the atmosphere of the musical with their impeccable performances.</p> <p>For those who missed the opportunity to watch this production, Long Beach High School puts on two productions every school year. The dedication and talent of the students and teachers involved in the theater department is commendable, and I encourage everyone to support their theatrical endeavors by attending future performances. Whether you&#39;re an avid theater enthusiast or a newcomer, Long Beach High School&#39;s theater department welcomes all who are eager to join and contribute to its legacy of artistic excellence.</p>

Long Beach varsity gymnastics and wrestling teams fundraise for pediatric cancer.

<p>For the upcoming 2024-2025 school year, the Long Beach School District is not only expecting the loss of COVID-19 recovery funds, but also a devastating reduction of almost 4.3 million dollars worth of aid from the state. While Governor Kathy Hochul’s budget proposal has not yet been approved by the New York State legislature, if carried out it would be the second-greatest budget cut out of all the Long Island school districts. </p> <p>With such enormous cuts, the district administration is now scrambling for ways to repurpose its remaining funds. Currently, the district is entertaining two main plans: removing funding for various high school electives, such as the business, technology, art, and music, or closing down East Elementary School. </p> <p>East School, which was established in 1926, is the oldest of the four elementary schools in the district. It is also the smallest. Considering that most students who live in the East End of Long Beach go to other elementary schools, closing East seems like the most practical option. However, the school still does hold immense sentimental value to members of our community who attended the institution in their youth.</p> <p>Long Beach High School currently has an extensive list of electives and extracurricular activities; there are a large number of clubs that represent any possible interest of the student body. Our high school film studio exceeds that of many colleges equipment-wise, and the theater and music programs perform in many ways on a professional level. A combined student-teacher pit orchestra performs the score for the spring musical, and our two jazz ensembles play at a variety of school events as well as participating in a spring encore concert. The high school is also home to the Riptide Robotics team and the Fragments literary magazine, both of which are high achievers in their fields. These clubs and activities enhance the student experience and provide valuable skills that cannot be taught with the core classes. The cuts would not only hinder this variety of education and these valuable extracurriculars, but the student body and by extension their parents: members of the Long Beach community.</p> <p>Recently, we had the opportunity to interview multiple teachers and students who are a part of the local community on their opinions about the potential cuts, and how they believe the district should handle it. For the privacy of everyone interviewed, everyone will be left anonymous. </p> <p>One anonymous interviewee expressed the dilemma the district faces that is resulting from the loss of funds, and how it feels to deal with the possible loss of valuable activities: “I think it’s causing the school to pick which extracurricular and electives that are more important and it feels like a slap to the face for the students that partake in those certain activities.” The budget cuts seem to be focused on certain activities more than others, and if those cuts are to happen, many students seem to prefer a more evenly spread version of the current plan to minimize the loss. </p> <p>Another interviewee told us that “as a school, we have spent so much time and effort in building up the great programs we have, and it would be a shame to see any cuts at all… we’ve made great strides towards student achievement and I would hate to see cuts in any of those areas, ultimately knowing that it would be the students that suffer the most from the lack of opportunity that is created when funding is dropped.” After-school clubs and electives are the experiences most of the student body anticipates during a draining day at school, and for most the best option would be making sure that these cuts have little to no effect on said programs to further the education and high school experience of Long Beach students. Unfortunately, keeping these middle and high school programs would be to the possible detriment of East School. </p> <p>However, the loss of East should not be devalued. For former and current students, as well as families all over Long Beach, East is the site of many important memories that are cherished and treasured. The closure of the elementary school, while perhaps the more practical option, has and will continue to evoke an enormous emotional response from parents and students. A source told us that “the closure of the school is devastating to any community, so I would hope that there is a maximum effort both on the parts of this community as well as on a state level to keep all the schools with the most staff and continuing programs possible.” Continuing programs is the top priority for everyone in our district, but, unfortunately, without the correct funding this would be impossible. If East School were closed, the funds would become available. Students’ futures are dependent on the education they receive in High School. With the electives offered currently, students gain further knowledge on what college they will want to apply to and what career they will choose. The students of East School will one day reach high school, and it is important that the program they find there is not a shadow of what we have today. </p> <p>Not by any means are these proposals set in stone. The Board of Education will continue to rework their plan for repurposing their limited funding, and just as the BOE plans are still fluid and open to change, so is the states’ budget plan. The voices of our community can be heard by our governor and her staff, and it is possible that the reduction can be circumvented before it is put into place.</p>

How will Long Beach schools approach a proposed $4.3 million budget cut?

A closer look at our literary and art magazine, Fragments, and its recent awards

<p>As of this year, the old public bathrooms at Long Beach High School have been replaced by new gender-neutral bathrooms, which feature a single room instead of the more traditional stalls. These new restrooms have caused a divide between students at Long Beach High School. There are many different opinions around the school on how people feel about the new gender-neutral stalls, causing such a controversy that some students made petitions to stop the construction of these bathrooms on change.org which had almost 600 signatures. </p> <p>The bathrooms have received mixed opinions from students and faculty. People complain that they are always dirty, need more amenities kept in the rooms, and should have higher quality feminine products. However, students can appreciate the safety of the judgment-free zone and privacy the single-stall restrooms bring.</p> <p>We talked with several students and faculty members about their opinions on the new bathrooms, as both groups have to use them. Madison Brandt, a sophomore here at LBHS told us that “the new bathrooms are interesting but every time I use them they’re never clean. However, I like the privacy it gives, though sometimes it feels a bit claustrophobic.” In general, the floors tend to be wet and dirty, but the privacy is well appreciated, said another student, agreeing, “I like it better than before because you get your own space and people don&#39;t stare anymore when [someone] actually use[s] the bathroom.”</p> <p>Matthew McCaffery, a junior, noted that the bathrooms were very plain. “I like them being individual but they should add cute decorations or anything to make them look less boring,” he told us. The hallways in the rest of the school are covered with murals done by students who take IB Art. Students wish to see the added color and style in the bathroom hall. </p> <p>Many students have complained about the wait to have a hall monitor unlock the stalls and the uncomfortable constant supervision. The wait for a hall monitor to unlock a restroom, especially in the cafeterias, tends to be longer than the wait in previous years, and the limited number of rooms restricts how many students can go to the bathroom at a time. Even first-year students here at the high school have complaints about the new restroom and its policies. A group of anonymous freshmen agreed that they “love them but wished they were open after school.” </p> <p>We also had time to gather opinions from Long Beach High School’s faculty members. Mr. Stankard, a Social Studies teacher who has worked here for eleven years, told us that he was “surprised at how nice they were, but I&#39;d like to see paper towels and not just a dryer in there.” Whatever stance you have on the bathrooms, they are here to stay. Some issues like wait times and cleanliness will need to be addressed over time, and many students are enjoying the increased privacy the new bathrooms bring. It may take time to get used to a new experience, but overall, students and teachers both appreciate the effort to improve the high school environment.</p>