Syosset High School

Template:Infobox school **Syosset High School** (**SHS**) is a public high school located in Syosset, New York, United States. It is the only public high school for residents of the Syosset Central School District. As of 2012, the news magazine *Newsweek* ranked the high school 42nd best in the U.S. Syosset High School has been ranked #10 in New York by niche.com as of 2016.

As of the 2017–18 school year, the school had an enrollment of 2,108 students and 207.70 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 10.15:1. There were 145 students (6.9% of enrollment) eligible for free lunch and 8 (0.4% of students) eligible for reduced-cost lunch.Template:NCES School ID

## Overview

The school district as a whole was the 2002 winner of the Kennedy Center Alliance for Arts Education Network and National School Boards Association Award, which honors school districts for excellence in arts education. Syosset was also named a Grammy Signature school for its music programs in orchestra, band, and chorus. In 2010 it was rated 14th in the country for music education by the National Association for Music Education. Syosset High School ranked 143rd of 1600+ schools listed in *Newsweek*Template:'s 2010 Best High Schools list.

Eleanor Roosevelt was among the first notable people to make a personal appearance in the auditorium.

In April 2007, the school's Quiz Bowl team won an online national championship.

## Castle Program

The Castle Program is designed for students (non-special education) who need a different environment in order to succeed. These students typically have a history of poor class and school attendance. They meet in a separate setting with small class sizes and a close-knit team of teachers who focus on "realistic expectations." Participation in this program is voluntary.

## WKWZ

WKWZ, 88.5 FM, is a broadcasting station owned and operated by the Syosset Central School District that operates from 2:30–11:00 pm Monday through Friday. It is licensed by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). WPOB broadcasts on the same frequency from 7:00–2:30 from Plainview-Old Bethpage John F. Kennedy High School, and is the sister station to WKWZ. The General Manager is head of the Syosset Film and Radio department, David Favilla, with all other positions (other than General Manager, Station Supervisor and Chief Engineer) operated by students in the school, with positions such as Station Managers, Music Director, Sports Director, Traffic Director, Program Director, Community News Director, and Organizational Supervisors.

## Sports

* The football team won the 1974 New York State Championship and the Long Island Championship in 2014.
* The girls' soccer team won the Nassau County Championships in 2018.
* The boys' swim team has been undefeated since the 2015-16 season, going 49-0 in the dual meet season as of 2020. With 5th straight Conference 1 titles, the Boys Swim team is easily the top swim team in the county.
* The tennis team won the Nassau County Championships in 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2018. They won the Long Island Championship in 2017 and 2018. They had 3 consecutive undefeated regular seasons from 2015-2017. The Syosset Boys Varsity tennis team has consistently been the top, and most competitive, high school tennis team in Long Island since 2015.Template:Citation needed
* The boys' lacrosse team won the Long Island Championship in 2008 and 2015.Template:Citation needed
* The girls' lacrosse team won the Nassau County Championships in 2015.Template:Citation needed
* The boys' cross country team won ten back-to-back Nassau County titles from 1996 to 2006. The cross country and track and field teams have won eleven back-to-back county titles from 2012 to 2016. On February 5, 2005, athletes Chris Howell, Adam Lampert, Dan Tully and Sean Tully set the national indoor record in the 4 × 800 metres relay in a time of 7:42.22. The same team won national championships at the National Scholastic Indoor Championships and Nike Outdoor Nationals and won the 4 × 800 metres relay at the prestigious Penn Relays on April 29, 2005.
* The boys' soccer team won the Nassau County Championship in 2012.Template:Citation needed
* The boys ice hockey team won the Nassau County Championship in 2015.Template:Citation needed
* The Girls Varsity Gymnastics team won the Nassau County Championship in 2019

## Substitute Enrichment Program

In the 1970s, SHS was known for a unique program called Substitute Enrichment Program, considered innovative at the time. Rather than call in substitute teachers, the funds that would have gone to pay the sub were used to help bring in special guest speakers and class-long programs. When a teach was absent, students had the option to attend the Sub Program or go to study hall. Run by a staff advisor and a team of student volunteers, the programming was often quite notable. At times, teachers worked the program's contents into their class and brought their classes to the session. Students that attended SHS in the early 1970s remember seeing Issac Asimov, talking with the late Harry Chapin in the "Little Theater." Programming included sports figures, artists, even learning to decorate cakes.

## Notable alumni

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* Judd Apatow – screenwriter, director, and producer
* Lesley Arfin – television writer and author, Girls, Love, Brooklyn 99
* Jay Bienstock – Emmy award-winning television producer of *Survivor*, *The Apprentice*, and *The Voice*
* Sue Bird – Israeli-American Women's National Basketball Association point guard, three-time Olympic champion, ten-time All-Star (Seattle Storm) (She attended Syosset High School but graduated from Christ the King Regional High School)
* Alan S. Blinder – economist, author, and former Vice Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System
* Rosa Brooks – writer, law professor, former Department of Defense staff member (fka Rosa Ehrenreich)
* Vito Arujau - NCAA Division I All-American wrestler
* Elaine Chao – Former Secretary of Transportation, first Asian American woman to be appointed a cabinet member, wife of Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell
* George Drakoulias – music producer, music supervisor
* Ben Ehrenreich – journalist and novelist
* Alan Eichler – theatrical publicist, producer and talent manager
* Sibel Galindez – actress
* Paul Ginsparg – physicist
* Jerry Gershenhorn – historian
* Brooke Gladstone – journalist and media analyst
* Wayne Gladstone – writer and humorist
* Rick Hodes – medical doctor known for work in the developing world
* Brenda Howard – political activist
* Michael Isikoff – *Newsweek* journalist
* Mitchell Lazar – physician-scientistTemplate:Citation needed
* Kenneth Lin – playwright
* Jon Lovett – former Presidential speechwriter for Barack Obama and current podcast host
* Carolyne Mas – singer-songwriter
* Robert Maschio – actor, *Scrubs*
* Idina Menzel – actress and singer
* Arika Lisanne Mittman – television producer and writer
* David Nesenoff – rabbi, filmmaker, journalist
* Ed Newman (born 1951), National Football League All-Pro football player
* Jeff Panzer – music video executive
* Adam Pascal – actor and singer
* Michael Pollan (1973) – writer
* Tracy Pollan – actress
* Natalie Portman – American-Israeli actress
* Liz Rosenberg – poet, novelist, children's book author
* Gabe Rotter – novelist, television writer and producer
* Jim Rowinski – NBA player
* Dave Rubin – comedian and television personality
* John C. Russell – playwright
* Carl Safina – conservationist and author
* Brandon Taubman – baseball executive, former assistant general manager for the Houston Astros
* Doug Varone – choreographer
* Barry Weiss – Chairman of BMG Label Group
* Meg Wolitzer – novelist
* Jordan Young – television producer and writer

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## External links

* Template:Official website
* Template:Facebook

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1. ↑ Template:Cite magazine
2. ↑ GRAMMY® Foundation Announces 2004 Signature Schools. Prweb.com.
3. ↑ About the Syosset CSD. Homework.syosset.k12.ny.us.
4. ↑ Fischler, Marcelle S. (April 25, 1999). LONG ISLAND JOURNAL; Richard M. Dixon, Still Kicking Around.
5. ↑ Online academic competition – exciting quiz bowl concept since the National Academic Championship was established in 1983. Qunlimited.com (March 30, 1981).
6. ↑ The Castle Program at Syosset High School.
7. ↑ Long Island High School Sports News – Newsday – Scores & Recaps. Newsday (February 28, 2010).
8. ↑ Syosset beat Lindenhurst, 35-13, for Class I title. Newsday (November 28, 2014).
9. ↑ http://www.syossetswimming.com/archive.html
10. ↑ Hunt, Christopher. Coaches Corner: Bart Sessa - Syosset.
11. ↑ New Balance Indoor Nationals - Championship Boys 4x800 (Raw).
12. ↑ Kennedy, Shawn G. (December 10, 1978). Substitutes for Substitute Teachers.
13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 13.4 13.5 13.6 13.7 13.8 Weber, Christopher. School of Stars: Judd Apatow, Elaine Chao, Michael Isikoff, W.Va. First Lady?. Politicsdaily.com.
14. ↑ Livnat, Arie (December 16, 2010). No. 1 WNBA Draft pick Sue Bird headed to Ramle. *Haaretz*.
15. ↑ Raimondi, Marc (April 5, 2010). Christ the King's WNBA Royalty.
16. ↑ Broadway World – #1 for Broadway Shows, Theatre, Entertainment, Tickets & More!.
17. ↑ Lazar Lab Home.
18. ↑ Podcaster Jon Lovett aims to deliver a tonic for our troubled times.
19. ↑ Template:Cite news
20. ↑ Brandon Taubman: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know. *Heavy.com* (October 24, 2019).
21. ↑ Template:Cite magazine