Dr. Manning's 5-Minute Weekly Update

Posted Date: 03/08/26 (10:00 AM)

Dr. Manning's 5-Minute Weekly Newsletter - March 8, 2026

Superintendent's Message

I had the pleasure of joining members of the American Legion Greenlawn Post 1244 who returned to Harborfields High School to inform six students that they'd been selected to participate in the transformative Boys' State program!

Click on any of the pictures in this update for additional information.

Spring Ahead!

The recent rainy weather, plus the changing of the clocks, brings with it the realization that spring is just around the corner. The longer days and warmer weather ahead will be a welcome change for sure!

Celebrating Our Staff!

Last week was National School Social Work Week, an opportunity for schools to acknowledge and recognize the impactful work social workers do to support students, families, and their communities. Please join me in thanking our incredible social workers: Dr. Susan Koenig, DSW, LCSW (HHS), Kirsten Leonard, LMSW (OMS), Kimberly SanFilippo, LMSW (TJL), and Anna Zaharia, LCSW-R (WDPS) for ensuring all Harborfields students thrive!

March 6 was Maintenance Worker Appreciation Day. A day to celebrate the incredible teams, including buildings and grounds, custodial, facilities, and maintenance, who keep our schools running safely and smoothly! If you see one of these staff members, be sure to thank them for their dedication and commitment to our students and schools!

Senior Athletes Commit to College Athletics!

Congratulations to the 11 senior athletes from Harborfields High School who committed to playing a sport at the collegiate level! Mr. Franco brought families, coaches, and community members together to celebrate these students at a signing night on Wednesday, March 4. We also welcomed back Harborfields Alumni Nick Caccamo ‘20 to speak about his experience playing D1 Lacrosse at Syracuse University.

Jacob Bouvin - Baseball, Salve Regina University
Michael Caccamo - Men's Lacrosse, Pace University
Angelina Cuthbertson - Women's Swimming, SUNY Cortland
Jocelyn Frein - Field Hockey, Westfield State College
Juliet Gianfrancesco - Women's Lacrosse, Florida Southern College
Caroline Gilhuley - Women's Lacrosse & Field Hockey, Roanoke College
James Piccarillo - Men's Lacrosse, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
Rose Poller - Women's Soccer, Juniata College
Olivia Rumore - Softball, Hunter College
Devin Slattery - Women's Lacrosse, Wesleyan University
Tyler Tom - Men's Lacrosse, Molloy College

We are so proud of all our students have accomplished and can’t wait to see what’s in store for them as they enter this next exciting chapter!

HF Athletes at NYS Championships!

Congratulations to Liam O’Hanlon, Patrick O’Brien, and Nick Vapnyar on qualifying for the NY State Boys Swimming State Championship Meet. Congratulations also to Sayla Fives, who qualified for the NY State Girls Indoor Track State Championship Meet. Way to go, Tornadoes!

Learning About Lunar New Year

Students across all four buildings had opportunities to learn about the Lunar New Year through a variety of classroom activities and student-led experiences. Some highlights included kindergarten students celebrating the Lantern Festival with a Lantern Light Parade, elementary classes exploring traditions through crafts and cultural lessons, and students learning directly from their peers through presentations and shared traditions. At the high school, members of the Multicultural Club also hosted a celebration featuring hands-on activities that introduced students to customs associated with the holiday.

These moments provided meaningful opportunities for students to learn about traditions celebrated by members of our community and around the world while building understanding and connection across our schools.

Healthy Tornado - Harborfields Wellness Wire

Please take a moment to click on the image below to view the latest edition of the Harborfields Wellness Wire, developed by the PTA Health & Wellness Committee. This newsletter features an interview with our Harborfields Director of Technology and Security Systems, Mary-Lynn Karpenske, who shares thoughtful insight on navigating technology both in school and at home. You’ll also find fitness tips to support digital balance, ideas for packing healthier snacks for busy game nights, how to make better choices when fast food is the only option, bike and outdoor safety reminders as our kids return to the streets and sidewalks, and details about a digital wellness workshop for parents in March and our upcoming Wellness Fair and Healthy Tornado Challenge!

Here are some of my favorite moments from this past week:

Harborfields High School

The Christian Club hosted “Pickleball for a Purpose” to raise funds for Family Legacy, an organization dedicated to providing food, shelter, and clean water to under-resourced children in Africa. More than 40 students and staff took part in the fun and spirited double-elimination tournament and fundraiser!

Oldfield Middle School

Gardening in the winter? No problem! The OMS Gardening Club made miniature outdoor greenhouses to practice winter sowing native seeds.

Click on the picture below to see more.

Thomas J. Lahey Elementary School

The No Place for Hate Committee came together to plan meaningful push-in lessons for every grade level centered on identity. Through these lessons, students will explore what makes each person unique while also recognizing the many ways we are connected as a school community.

Washington Drive Primary School

Author Doreen Cronin visited Washington Drive and inspired students to dream big, write boldly, and believe in the power of their ideas. The students left feeling excited, confident, and ready to create their own stories. Thank you to our WDPS PTA for making this happen for our students!

Announcements & Shoutouts!

Congratulations - Exemplary Staff Development at OMS!

Shoutout to Oldfield Middle School staff, especially Mrs. Hudson and Mrs. Kelsch, who transformed their faculty meeting into an interactive Multi-Tiered Support System Fair! Staff members visited stations led by their colleagues to learn about successful interventions and classroom strategies. Thank you to everyone who shared their expertise and helped make it a fun and collaborative learning opportunity!

Each Child. Each Day. One Harborfields Family.