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Veteran LI Teacher Dies Weeks After Brother, Remembered For 'Unwavering Dedication' To Students Veteran LI Teacher Dies Weeks After Brother, Remembered For 'Unwavering Dedication' To Students
Veteran LI Teacher Dies Weeks After Brother, Remembered For 'Unwavering Dedication' To Students A beloved Long Island teacher who spent nearly 25 years shaping young minds died just weeks after her brother. Laurette LaPrarie, a fourth grade teacher at Ridge Elementary School, died Sunday, March 23, at the age of 56, according to her obituary. A cause of death was not given. LaPrarie’s death came just weeks after that of her brother, physical education teacher Jacque LaPrarie Sr., of Farmingville, relatives said. “It is with an extremely heavy heart and deep sadness that I share the heartbreaking news of the passing of one of our most beloved teachers Mrs. Laurette LaPrarie,” reads a…

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by Michael Mashburn
Schools
Kermit The Frog Confirmed As 2025 UMD Commencement Speaker — And The Internet Has Best Reaction Kermit The Frog Confirmed As 2025 UMD Commencement Speaker — And The Internet Has Best Reaction
Kermit The Frog Confirmed As 2025 UMD Commencement Speaker — And The Internet Has Best Reaction It's not easy being green, or delivering an epic commencement speech.  But Kermit the Frog, a Peabody Award winner and best-selling author (and muppet) will do both in May, when he will return to the campus where he was first brought to life (by creator and alum Jim Henson, Class of 1960) to deliver the commencement speech in May. The school made the announcement this week, and the internet's reaction is everything you could've ever hoped for. "Kermencement," one absolute genius commented on UMD's post on Facebook. Others begged for the event to be live-streamed, while many …

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by Zak Failla
Schools
Twins Endured 'Years Of Terror' Being Bullied At LI School, Parents Claim In Federal Lawsuit Twins Endured 'Years Of Terror' Being Bullied At LI School, Parents Claim In Federal Lawsuit
Twins Endured 'Years Of Terror' Being Bullied At LI School, Parents Claim In Federal Lawsuit A pair of twins endured relentless bullying at their Long Island school—physical assaults, cruel taunts, and even the circulation of an illicit photo—while their parents begged administrators for help, only to be met with silence and retaliation, a federal lawsuit alleges. The suit, filed in the Eastern District of New York in February, accuses the Patchogue-Medford School District of failing to protect the male and female students from relentless bullying, harassment, and discrimination—despite repeated pleas for help. District officials ignored formal complaints, failed to intervene in da…

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by Michael Mashburn
Schools
Mystery Man On Bike Stalks Girl Outside Long Island School, Mom Warns Other Parents Mystery Man On Bike Stalks Girl Outside Long Island School, Mom Warns Other Parents
Mystery Man On Bike Stalks Girl Outside Long Island School, Mom Warns Other Parents A Long Island mother is urging parents to stay alert after her 11-year-old daughter was allegedly followed by a man on a bicycle near her middle school. In a post shared on in the “Islip Terrace and All of the Islips” Facebook group on Tuesday, March 18, Charine Andersen detailed the unsettling encounter that took place as her daughter was leaving East Islip Middle School on Spur Drive. A Hispanic man in his 60s rode up to her daughter and spoke to her, but she couldn’t fully understand what he was saying—except for the words “bunny” or “hunny," she said. When the girl asked him to repeat h…

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by Michael Mashburn
Schools
12-Year-Old's Instagram Photo Of Gun Lands Long Island Middle Schooler In Handcuffs: Police 12-Year-Old's Instagram Photo Of Gun Lands Long Island Middle Schooler In Handcuffs: Police
12-Year-Old's Instagram Photo Of Gun Lands Long Island Middle Schooler In Handcuffs: Police A 12-year-old boy is accused of making threats against a Long Island middle school. Suffolk County Police responded to Copiague Middle School, located on Great Neck Road, for a 911 call at around 6:45 a.m. Monday, March 10. School administrators told officers that the student posted a picture of a gun on Instagram, police said. Following an investigation, officers determined that the threat was not credible, police said. The boy was arrested on suspicion of making a threat of mass harm. The student, who was not identified due to his age, will be arraigned in Suffolk County Family Court at…

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by Michael Mashburn
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Students Feel Record Stress Over Admissions, Two NY Colleges Among Top 10 Dream Schools: Survey Students Feel Record Stress Over Admissions, Two NY Colleges Among Top 10 Dream Schools: Survey
Students Feel Record Stress Over Admissions, Two NY Colleges Among Top 10 Dream Schools: Survey For high school seniors, spring is a nerve-wracking time as college decisions roll in — but the class of 2025 is more stressed than ever, according to a new survey. The Princeton Review said 73 percent of students and parents reported "high" or "very high" stress over the admissions process. That's the highest level in the 23-year history of the College Hopes & Worries Survey, which had its 2025 edition released on Tuesday, Mar. 4. The 2025 survey polled 9,317 students and parents about a wide variety of college-related issues. Financial Pressures, Testing, AI Concerns Financial s…

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by Chris Spiker
Schools
11 Students Hospitalized After THC Gummies Handed Out At LI School 11 Students Hospitalized After THC Gummies Handed Out At LI School
11 Students Hospitalized After THC Gummies Handed Out At LI School Around a dozen students were sickened after ingesting marijuana gummies at a Long Island middle school. A student at William Floyd Middle School in Moriches handed out edible THC gummies to around a dozen students who became ill on Monday morning, March 3, the William Floyd School District confirmed. Suffolk County Police and medics responded to the campus at around 11:15 a.m. for reports that multiple students had overdosed.  In all, 11 students were taken to local hospitals for treatment, district officials said. No additional details were given. “We are grateful to our first respo…

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by Michael Mashburn
Schools
Six NY Colleges Named To Most Beautiful Campuses In US List: See Why Six NY Colleges Named To Most Beautiful Campuses In US List: See Why
Six NY Colleges Named To Most Beautiful Campuses In US List: See Why Choosing a college is about more than academics, sports, and social life — campus beauty can also make a lasting impression. Travel magazine Conde Nast released its 2025 list of the 54 Most Beautiful College Campuses in the United States. Across the Northeast, several schools stand out for their historic architecture, stunning landscapes, and picturesque settings. Whether framed by rolling hills, autumn foliage, or Gothic spires, these colleges offer students an inspiring backdrop for their studies. Connecticut Wesleyan University was recognized for utilizing Greek Revival a…

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by Chris Spiker
Schools
Al Roker Surprised With Honorary Doctorate From NY College: 'I Am Thrilled' (VIDEO) Al Roker Surprised With Honorary Doctorate From NY College: 'I Am Thrilled' (VIDEO)
Al Roker Surprised With Honorary Doctorate From NY College: 'I Am Thrilled' (Video) You may call him Dr. Roker. Longtime Today show weatherman Al Roker got an unexpected forecast of his own: Siena College is awarding him with an honorary doctorate degree. And the news came in the most fitting way possible–on live TV. During a special “breaking news” segment by the college’s student-run SCTV News team on Wednesday, Feb. 26, Roker joined from the Today studios in Manhattan to give a campus-centric forecast for Loudonville. After assuring students that the frigid days were numbered, Roker heard from Siena alum and NBC executive producer Tom Mazzarelli, who had a forecast of…

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by Michael Mashburn
Schools
NY's Education Performance Analyzed In New Study: See How It Stacks Up NY's Education Performance Analyzed In New Study: See How It Stacks Up
NY's Education Performance Analyzed In New Study: See How It Stacks Up Several Northeast states are among the most educated in the US, excelling in school quality, college attainment, and overall academic achievement, a new study said. Massachusetts was ranked as the country's most-educated state, according to a WalletHub study released on Monday, Feb. 10. Maryland was second, followed by Vermont, Colorado, and Connecticut in the top five. The study analyzed all 50 states using 18 factors, including educational attainment, quality, and achievement gaps. "There's a strong correlation between being more educated and receiving higher compensation," said Wal…

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by Chris Spiker
Schools
Student Threatened 'Mass Harm' At Long Island High School, Police Say Student Threatened 'Mass Harm' At Long Island High School, Police Say
Student Threatened 'Mass Harm' At Long Island High School, Police Say A student is accused of making threats against a Long Island high school. Officers responded to Huntington High School at around 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, Feb, 11, after being tipped off that a student had made a “threat of mass harm” against the campus on Snapchat, Suffolk County Police said. Following an investigation, Second Precinct officers arrested a female student, 18, on suspicion of making a threat of mass harm. She was expected to undergo evaluation and be arraigned at a later date. Authorities did not publicize the student’s name or speculate on a possible motive for the alleged thre…

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by Michael Mashburn
Schools
New Study Reveals Shocking Amount Of Phone Use By Teens While At School New Study Reveals Shocking Amount Of Phone Use By Teens While At School
New Study Reveals Shocking Amount Of Phone Use By Teens While At School A brand-new study has uncovered surprising trends in teen phone use during school hours, raising fresh concerns about digital distractions in the classroom. The study, published by JAMA Pediatrics on Monday, Feb. 3, found that students spent a significant portion of the school day on their phones, with messaging, Instagram, and video streaming among the most-used apps. Researchers also noted that a quarter of students logged more than two hours of screen time during class. In addition, students whose parents held bachelor’s degrees or higher spent about a half-hour less on their phones dur…

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by Joe Lombardi