By Colin Strella and Tim Fair
The Massapequa School District is expanding its efforts to combat bullying through a partnership with the Long Island Coalition Against Bullying, which aims to improve how the district identifies bullying, supports students and works with families to prevent future incidents, just months after students and parents publicly raised concerns about student safety and harassment.
The LICAB founder and executive director, Joseph Salamone, outlined several initiatives to improve the school-wide environment at the Oct. 8 board meeting, including a district anti-bullying task force, anonymous student surveys and educational programs for students, parents and staff.
According to Salamone’s presentation, LICAB works with more than 35 school districts and reaches over 40,000 students. A survey conducted by the organization found that 54% of students surveyed reported experiencing bullying between sixth and 12th grades.
The partnership between the school board and coalition follows complaints raised at the June board meeting, at which students and parents criticized the district’s handling of bullying. Several families in the community told News 12 reporter Julia Rosier that the district had not adequately addressed ongoing incidents.
An August Newsday investigation found that Massapequa investigated 35 separate claims of bullying, harassment and discrimination during the 2024–25 school year and substantiated 17 of them. Across Long Island, schools reported 1,906 verified cases during the same period.
Salamone, who founded the coalition in 2013 after experiencing bullying himself, emphasized that addressing the problem requires strong cooperation among school officials, families and community members.
“The relentless [bullying] lasted almost entirely through high school and nearly cost me my life in the ninth grade,” Salamone said. “ … there is no single measure, no silver bullet that can be taken to eradicate this problem.”
One of the partnership’s central initiatives is a districtwide committee comprising parents, students, teachers and administrators. The group will help oversee anti-bullying prevention programs, review reports and improve consistency in how school districts handle incidents.
District officials also plan to administer anonymous student surveys in collaboration with the coalition. Salamone said the organization will independently collect responses and work with district officials to prepare reports that examine students’ experiences with bullying and harassment in schools.
Superintendent William Brennan said school climate and student support systems have become major district priorities. Brennan explained that officials began working with the coalition at the end of last school year to develop summer initiatives.
The coalition plans to hold listening sessions for students, allowing them to discuss concerns with representatives other than district administrators, teachers and guidance counselors. Salamone said certain students may feel more comfortable speaking with adults with whom they do not regularly interact, rather than those they may meet at school.
Members of the Massapequa community have expressed strong support for the partnership, emphasizing the importance of keeping students safe while also continuing to educate parents.
“I think the parents and the adults in this district need a lot of work with this too,” Massapequa resident Jen Bonet said.
Bonet suggested expanding educational opportunities through the district’s new Parent University Program.
Parent University is an annual event that provides parents and guardians with educational workshops led by district staff. The event focuses its sessions on digital safety, social and emotional learning, and mindfulness related to student well-being. Expanding the program to include anti-bullying education could offer district parents additional tools to recognize and address bullying at school.
Beyond the classroom, the coalition has partnered with the Massapequa Public Library to host a four-part anti-bullying workshop series beginning Nov. 10, followed by additional sessions on Dec. 8, Jan. 5 and Feb. 9.
The workshops will also provide refresher training for Dignity Act coordinators to address New York’s Dignity for All Students Act, a law signed in 2010 intended to create a learning environment free from discrimination, harassment and bullying.
Salamone said the goal is not to promise an immediate solution, but to build a lasting partnership between the district and community.
“It’s not only generational but requires the efforts of a multitude of people at numerous levels,” Salamone said. “But of both school and community to bring about lasting change.”
