Bethpage School District

Education in the 20th Century was limited. Powell Ave. School had not yet been built, so the students attended one-room schoolhouses. Prior to the 1910-1911 school year, all children living south of the railroad tracks(Stewart Line)went to Plainedge School and those to the north went to School District 21.

Early information on the schools in Bedelltown, Central Park, (School District #21) is documented in a letter by Mrs. Jarvis, a Bedelltown school teacher, written in 1952 when she was over 80 years old. The letter appeared in HARKING BACK by Iris and Alonzo Gibbs. The letter reads as follows:

"The first one-room little red school house (built about 1858) was located near the corner where Broadway joins the Plainview Road. It had a wood burning stove, and drinking water was carried from a neighbor's. No lights were in the building, and at an evening meeting such as the annul election of trustees, laterns were used. Late in the 1890's this school was abandoned and another school was erected on Broadway on the land adjoining the present Gifford property. It too was a one room building and was built at a cost of $700.00. This was an amount considered far too much by many residents. Here instead of the pupils occupying long benches as in the former school, individual desks were provided. This school also had its own well from which the drinking water was drawn and kept in pails in the entries. Heat was furnished by a stove in the rear of the room. This building was occupied until the building on Powell Avenue was constructed about 1911. The first building here was an eight room brick structure with central heating. When it was outgrown, the building was enlarged to its present size by an addition at the rear. This was later supplemented by a two-room wooden annex."

The land for the Broadway school, built in 1896, was given to the district by Miss Eva Capron provided that there was always a school on that land; when the Powell Avenue School was built, the land reverted to Miss Capron's heirs and we lost a chance to get half the High School land for nothing. Information from the "Bethpage Tribune" April 1, 1982 by Rosalie Walsh Niemczyk

Below information from "Harking Back" and "Bethpage 1957 - 1987 A Generation of Growth & Development"

The Powell Avenue School, was built on land purchased from Mr. Nibbe, and was located on what was known as School Street. It served the community through 1960. The Powell Avenue School was an elementary school, K - 8. In the early years the students went by train to high school in Mineola, and later to Hicksville. When Farmingdale put up a new high school building, the trustees agreed to accept Bethpage pupils at a lower tuition rate, and transportation was provided by bus in 1931. The Farmingdale School was K - 12 and was located on Main Street, where today (2008) a Waldbaums Supermarket, stationery store, and dry cleaners are at this location.

Realizing the need for Bethpage to provide its own high school, for its growing community, the residents voted to build their own complete school system. The Broadway School (23 rooms) opened as a junior and senior high school in 1951. In 1957, twenty-two rooms were added to this building.

Also, the need for additional elementary schools was evident and neighborhood schools were built:

Pine Avenue School (22 classrooms) opened in 1954 - 1955. Closed in 1980 due to declining enrollment.

Central Boulevard School (33 classrooms) in 1956.

Kramer Lane School (22 classrooms) in 1957 (named for Mr. Frederick P. Kramer, former president and member of the Board of Education for 21 consecutive years). December, 2008, a new sign was dedicated at the school reading, "Kramer Lane Elementary School: Over 50 years of Excellence in Teaching and Learning" Kramer Lane Principal Dr. Frank Cicione invited Mary Quinn, a former district principal who retired in 2001after 50 years of service to the Bethpage Schools, to join him in cutting the ribbon on the new sign. Ms. Quinn provided a generous contribution toward the purchase of the sign, as well as, a fund raising efforts from students, staff and financial support from the Bethpage Board of Education. (Information on the new sign from the Bethpage Tribune, December 19 - 25, 2008)

Kramer Lane has been selected by the U.S. Department of Education as a recipient of the National 2013 Blue Ribbon School Award and designated as an Exemplary High Performing School based on 2012 English language arts and mathematics assessment scores. (Information from the "Bethpage Tribune" September 27, 2013)

Every student and staff member at Kramer Lane Elementary School had a hand in creating a large tile mural of an Eagle carrying a blue ribbon that commemorates the school's recent designation as a National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence. The mural will be hung in the main lobby of the school. Assisting with the mural was local artist Esther Tollen. (Information from the "Bethpage Tribune" - January 31, 2014)

Bloomingdale School (14 classrooms) in 1959. Closed in 1972 and in 1988 32 homes have been built on this property.

Charles Campagne School in 1962 (named for Charles Campagne, a board member of long standing) it replace the Powell Avenue School which was razed and the Bethpage Public Library was built on the property. In 2011 the students gathered in front of the new Gazebo as they held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Gazebo in memory of reading specialist, Robert J. Kohlhagen. The students sang "Take Me Out To The Ball Game" and "Let's Go To The Gazebo". (The information on the Gazebo - From the Bethpage Tribune - June 10-16, 2011.) A fitness room was unveiled with a ribbon cutting ceremony attended by Superintendent of Schools Terrence Clark, Principal Angelita Cintado, physical education teacher Betty Bohringer and students. The room includes elliptical machines, stationar bicycles, and steppers. (Information fron the Bethpage Tribune - November 12-18, 2010)

Bethpage High School was built on Cherry and Stewart Avenue in 1959 and formally dedicated in 1960.

The Broadway School now became a Jr. High School grades 7 - 8, and was renamed John F. Kennedy Jr. High School. It then became the JFK Middle School.

Saint Martin of Tours provided elementary education from grades 1 - 8. It was built in 1955 closed in 2004. (For more information see St. Martin of Tours entry)

Information from HARKING BACK and BETHPAGE 1957 - 1987, A Generation of Growth and Development.

Below information from the BETHPAGE TRIBUNE - September 18 - 23, 2009

BETHPAGE'S NEW ATHLETIC FIELD: AMAZING!!

On the day of its first football game of the season, Bethpage High School also officially celebrated the opening of its new athletic complex, thanks to a community development grant from the Town of Oyster Bay.

The upgrade included a new multi-use turf field, track surface, lighting system, scoreboard, media booth and new visitor bleachers. By the end of the year, home bleachers will be upgraded and a new refreshment hut will be installed.

The field will continue to be named for New York State's all-time winningest football coach, Howie Vogts. When the field is not in use by Bethpage students, it will serve the community and be used by PAL teams and other organizations.

Superintendent of Bethpage Schools, Mr. Terry Clark, stated, "Bethpage is a leader in 21st Century academics, and now we have a 21st Century athletic complex to complement it."

Below information from the BETHPAGE TRIBUNE - October 14 - 20, 2011

Bethpage High School Class of 1961 Fifty years ago, Sunday, June 25, 1961, the Bethpage H. S. class of 1961 with approximately 194 students, was the first class to graduate from the new Bethpage High School on Cherry Avenue. Until that time, the High School was located at the JFK Middle School.

As the first full Senior Class, we dedicated the Senior Court and planted several small trees. There was also the first Senior Class to go on a senior trip to Washington DC. The Golden Eagle was the mascot and colors were Blue and Gold.

The Superintendent of schools was Mr. C. Bryan (? sp.), Principal, Mr. Sabatella, Assistant Principals - Mr. Parlato, and Mr. Krawitz. E pluribus unum - one administration composed of many - displayng friendly, understanding, good humor and eagerness by encouraging all to take an active and sincere interest in all undertakings.

The Yearbook was dedicated to Principal Sabatella as an expression of appreciation and gratitude.

America made much history that year starting with the election of the first Catholic and youngest man ever sworn in as President of our country, John F. Kennedy. We entered the space race. Pressure from the Federal Courts intensified against segreation. The Niagara power generating plant started current flowing from the first of 13 new generators, and was the third largest of its kind in the world. The worst air crash in U.S. avaition history occurred. United Airlines jet collided with a TWA plane over Staten Island. The TWA plane crashed into Staten Island and the United Airlines continued to travel and plunged into a block of houses in Brooklyn. The death doll was 134. On December 19th, the Navy's newest and largest attack aircraft carrier, the Constellation, moored in the NY Navy Yard was racked by fire. 49 civilians were killed and more than 10 injured.

The trouble spots around the world: the Congo, Algeria, Laos, and Cuba. In February, 1961, 17.4 inch snowfall which put New York City, Nassau County and surrounding areas into a state of emergency. The Olympic Games were held in Rome. Floyd Patterson knocked out Ingemar Johansson in the 5th round to become the first boxer in history to regain the heavy-weight championship in the world. Pirates beat the Yankees in the World Series and the Yankees retired Casey Stengel.

It was the 50th anniversary of the Bethpage Fire Department. The bronze statue of a fireman holding a child was unveiled in front of the firehouse. Residents voted for a new elementary school to avoid split sessions and the Junior Prom with its accent on the Arabian Nights and the Senior Ball were both big successes. Legendary Howie Vogts coached the football team, and he remained for 56 years. A special "thank you" to Rose Smith for putting this story together.

From the CPHS Newsletter - November 2013 - On November 22, 1963 fifty years ago the 35th president of the USA, John F. Kennedy, was assassinate in Dallas Texas which stunned the nation and the world. At that time the community of Bethpage came together to have the Bethpage Junior High School (today the Bethpage Middle School) named to honor President Kennedy. This was accomplished and over the past 50 years the children of Bethpage passed through the doors of this proud school. This year the children will be honoring the memory of JFK as they celebrate him, the school, and the community of Bethpage over the past 50 years.

JFK Junior High School was the first school in the country to claim this distinction. It was also decided at this time,in 1963, not to name the High School in his honor as it was agreed that the students should graduate from Bethpage High School. A Historic Marker will be erected and dedicated on October 1, 2014 in front of the JFK Middle School acknowledging the naming of the school.

Below Information from the "Bethpage Tribune" September 19, 2014 Bethpage High School ranked "Top High School". Of the more than 1,400 schools that applied, Bethpage High School ranked number 385 in the nation among America's top schools for 2014. Bethpage High School has also been named a Reward School.