Despite being new to the school, Hamptons Bays’s new special education science teacher, Mr. Bzdyk, has long had a connection to this town.
“My dad worked out here since he was around my age so I kind of grew up coming out here working with him so I’d like to say that Hampton Bays half-raised me. I’d spend every day I wasn’t in school coming out to Hampton Bays to work during the summer. I had summer jobs out here so I was very connected to the community and to me I thought it was the perfect way to give back to the town that basically helped raise me.”
Mr. Bzdyk went to Suffolk Community College and later transferred to Saint Joseph’s College where he got his bachelor’s degree in history education. He later returned to St. Joseph’s to get his master’s degree in their special education department. Before joining Hampton Bays in the special education department, Mr. Bzdyk worked at Bay Shore School District, his home district and West Islip Middle School as a student teacher. He also worked at North Babylon school as a leave replacement.
Interestingly, Mr. Bzdyk originally wanted to become a history teacher and never intended on becoming a special education teacher but this changed when he was student teaching. While student teaching, he was placed in the special education department and realized he really enjoyed working with special education students and he has worked in special education ever since.
According to Mr. Santorelli who co-teaches with Mr.Bzdyk, “I’d say Mr. B’s been great so far. I think he displays great patience. He’s always super kind and thoughtful. I really like his approach to education…I think he’s a great addition to our school, a great addition to the Special Ed Department, to the Science Department.”
When not working at Hampton Bays, Mr. Bzdyk spends his free time as a volunteer firefighter in Bay Shore.
“I’ve been a volunteer for I think this month will be my eighth year, so I joined that almost right out of high school, one semester into college. So that’s taken up a majority of my time. You know, really I think it help develops you into being, you know, more adult, teaches responsibilities, leadership. Teaching there, I assist with their training program, so I’m one of their instructor helpers.”
Outside of both work and firefighting, Mr. Bzdyk is a very big fan of the Islanders. He is a season ticket holder and cites it as being a big part of his life.
His main goal for this year is to help his special education students achieve and support them in any way to help them realize all they are capable of.
“I would just say my main goals are to help my students, you know, I want them to achieve you know push them to you know what I know they can do, want them to be able to see that they’re able to do whatever they want. I think that’s the most important part of education is just helping every student in any way possible.”
