As an introduction to the study of early people, the students in Dr. Bullock's and Ms. Patino's social studies classes went on a virtual tour through the Cave of Lascaux in France. The cave paintings were projected onto the ceiling and smartboard to give the effect of being in the cave. Students were able to wonder and notice about the images for the purpose of developing inquiry questions to deepen research about early people. Students inquired as to why early people created cave paintings if the handprints were signatures of painters and did the cave paintings have a religious meaning. During the following days, students were presented with a number of articles and websites to further their search for answers.
↧
The Search for Answers @ Silas Wood
↧
Around the World in 90 Minutes
We hear from Social Studies Chairperson Mr. Jay Corcoran that Walt Whitman freshman got an extra boost in the Global History classes today. World traveler and photographer Mike Harrold took our students on a unique and enthralling interactive exploration of the World, as he knows it. In the classroom our students are learning about the ancient river valley civilizations (specifically Egypt) and the transformation from Paleolithic Times to Neolithic Times, the program investigates the religious beliefs of the Ancient Egyptians and examines religions of the non-Western world - Hinduism, Buddhism and Islam.
Students will "journey" to the sites of these religions and learn how the adherents incorporate these religions into their daily existence (Hindus in Varanasi, India; Buddhists in Southeast Asia; Muslims in Egypt; animists in Sub-Saharan Africa). “I’ve traveled extensively for the past 30 years to over 80 countries,” said Mike Harrold as he laid out an impressive display of artifacts collected to give his audiences a real hands-on experience.
Mike also did smaller group sessions recounting his traveling adventures, how he decided to be a world traveler (starting right here on Long Island), and how he makes his trips months at a time where he hikes to remote villages and immerses himself into that particular culture.
Presentations like this are sure to leave a lasting imprint on our students and help support their classroom studies. Thank you Mike Harrold.
↧
↧
STEM Careers Highlighted
The National Academy of Future Scientists and Technologists gave Awards of Excellence to a pair of Whitman juniors recently. Raj Shah and Edgardo Moreno both were able to send some time in Boston this past summer as part of the National Academy where they attended lectures and presentations intended to broaden their horizons to the many career paths available in STEM. Raj, who is interested in the engineering field, completed a research project here on Long Island working with his dad who is a marketing executive for an aviation fueling equipment manufacturer. For Edgardo Moreno, his interests were peaked with presentations about computer coding, cyber safety and 3-D printing. Both students are actively looking at colleges for that perfect fit that will launch them into their chosen careers.
↧
Lady Wildcats Win Kicks For Cancer Game
Congratulations Girls Varsity Soccer: Yesterday the Team defeated Connetquot by a score of 1-0. Eighth-grader Ella Brower scored Whitman's only goal on an assist by Marissa Martino. Defensively, Fiona Smyth, Mary Teresky, Yomary Cordero, Sydney Khan and Julianna Villella played solid. Brittany Shaneberger made 8 saves to secure the shutout. Come out and support the girls on Monday at 6:30 as they host Bay Shore in the senior game.
↧
11th Annual Football Classic
The Maplewood school community, including family members, students, teachers, administrators, BOE members, and friends all enjoyed a beautiful fall evening last Friday to cheer on their favorite players in the wildly popular football classic “Wildcat Bowl.” This year’s event helped raise money for additional programs at Maplewood as well as a donation to MaggiesMission.org, a local non-profit organization raising awareness to find a cure for rare childhood cancers, as well as assisting families dealing with these cancers.
The Maplewood PTA did a wonderful job providing snacks and hot drinks for the largest turnout of teachers and volunteers ever. “The 2017 Wildcat Bowl was a tremendous success,” said Dr. Vito D’Elia, Maplewood’s principal. “We sold over 600 tickets which turned out to be our highest number since we started this contest eleven years ago.”“It was a highly competitive game with Maroon winning in overtime 42-35,” added D’Elia, who happened to catch the winning touchdown. “A BIG thank you goes out to all the Maplewood teachers, Administrators, and Board of Education Members who volunteered their time to once again make this game a great success for all.”
↧
↧
Walt Whitman Students of the Month
We wish to congratulate our September Students of the Month from Walt Whitman High School. Starting the year off on the right foot, these talented individuals have distinguished themselves in academic classes, earning the praise of the teachers and administrators alike. Our Students of the Month have successfully demonstrated the ability to juggle demands of increased academic standards, while simultaneously participating in numerous co-curricular endeavors. We congratulate all of our winners, as well as the teachers and dedicated parents who have contributed to their success.
Our September Students of the Month:
ART: Nicole Algierie, Sophia Fyfe, Julia Mc Mullen, Steven Mora
SCIENCE: Stephen Hong, Delaney Mena, Kyle Owens, Kevin Paiz
BUSINESS/HOME & CAREERS: Christopher Adams, Joshua Friedman, Griffin Mc Nally
PHYSICAL EDUCATION: Samantha Carey, Kyle Lutz, Anthony Paredes Trujillo, Nicole Rapacciuolo
ENGLISH: Carmela Abbatiello, Katia Alfaro Alfaro, Sarah Gemunder, Justin Thorne
SOCIAL STUDIES: Devon Linden, Tyler Margolin, Grace Roiland, Nicholas Rows
MATHEMATICS: Rimshah Ehsan, Maelyn Latko, Katherine Miata, Brianna Ruotolo
WORLD LANGUAGES: Lauren Brown, Anna Noonan, Rosa Portillo, Jesse Strenger Skolnik
MUSIC/DANCE: April Carmine, Daniel Curtin, Lorraine Jean Pierre, Amanda Riha
ATHLETES OF THE MONTH: Jordan Lyons (Football), Katherine Miata (Tennis Doubles), Stephanie Young (Tennis Doubles)
↧
The Spirit of the Fall Season is Upon Us
Gellerman Orthodontics hosted their 8th Annual Pumpkin Decorating Contest at Oakwood Primary Center the other day. All of the decorated pumpkins will be donated to Northwell Health's Huntington Hospital to truly brighten the day of patients and help get them into the holiday spirit!
Students from the following teachers designed and created the wonderful pumpkins pictured: Mrs. Molina (Kindergarten), Mrs. Schwartz (1st Grade), Mrs. Finnegan & Mrs. Galano (1st Grade), Mrs. Negron (Kindergarten), Ms. Groe (Kindergarten), Mrs. O'Dougherty (Speech), Mrs. Baumbach & Mrs. McLaughlin (Kindergarten), Mrs. Milo (2nd Grade), Mr. Watts (2nd Grade), Mrs. Seidl (1st Grade), Mrs. Lay & Mrs. Willis (1st Grade), Ms. Mulle (OT), Mrs. Erickson (Art), and Mrs. DeNuzzo (Kindergarten).
↧
Varsity Boys Soccer @ 10-2-1
Congratulations Boys Varsity Soccer: The Team blanked Central Islip on Wednesday, October 11th by the score of 2-0. Jefferson Saravia finished both goals for the Wildcats. Jaime Aleman and Jordan Perez picked up the assists. Elmer Aleman, TJ Garcia, Sergio Licona and Anthony Paredes played stellar defense in front of Alec Wurtz who made 2 saves for the shutout. The Wildcats' record now stands at 10-2-1. The team is on the road against Riverhead, Friday at 4pm.
↧
Vote for your Favorite Decorated Pumpkin
This week, some Countrywood classes and staff members participated in the 8th annual Gellerman Orthodontics Pumpkin Decorating Contest. All pumpkins will be donated to Northwell Health’s Huntington Hospital. These pumpkins truly brighten the day of the patients and help them get into the holiday spirit. You can vote for your favorite pumpkin by visiting the Gellerman Orthodontics Facebook page.
Here are the classes/teachers who participated:
Cat in the Hat – Clancy & Barbato
Chicka Chicka Boom Boom – Jonza & Giacalone
Winnie the Pooh – Cardella
Cat in the Hat – DiNorcia
Heart World – Livoti
Owl – Lamorte
Emoji – Main office
↧
↧
Volleyball Ready for Home Stretch
The Boy’s Varsity Volleyball team beat Commack yesterday 3 sets to 1 giving the Wildcats a 7-3 record and keeping within a tight pack of Suffolk County teams all with 7 wins. In the Commack win, Sean Williams had 17 kills, 9 digs and 2 aces. Jack Poplawski had 12 kills, 10 digs, 4 aces and 2 blocks. Newsday Volleyball reporter Kenny DeJohn gave ‘shout-outs’ to Whitman recently: “They have been very very good and are surprising people. They can really hang out with any team in Class A, so they should be very interesting to watch.” Come out for the next home game on Wednesday, October 18th at 6PM to support the team when they face county leader and defending State Champions Eastport-South Manor.
↧
September Athletes of the Month
Our Athletes of the Month kicked their sports season into high gear in September. Along with Senior Football Safety Jordan Lyons, a pair of underclassmen, Stephanie Young and Katherine Miata, team up in Tennis as Whitman’s second-doubles partners.
Stephanie Young prefers doubles. “I like working with another person, you get that extra support with a doubles partner,” said Stephanie. “I like playing aggressively at the front of the net.” Stephanie loves all that Whitman as to offer and also plays on the Badminton team. She is involved with the Ambassadors club, Interact Club and Girls Sports Night.
Jordan Lyons flashes his 5’9” 150lb frame around the football field with a quickness that his competitors can’t match. Whether he’s catching passes from his quarterback or snagging interceptions, (Jordan is currently tied for the lead in Suffolk County), this guy can move. “Run and avoid getting hit, that’s what goes through my mind the second I pick off a ball for an interception.” Jordan also plays basketball and is thinking about spring track. This college-bound senior is not sure where he will end up but wants to continue his love and interest in biology.
As a sophomore Katherine Miata is thrilled to be nominated as an Athlete of the Month and is clearly enjoying life at Whitman. “I love how open and accepting Whitman is, I love my teachers too,” said Katherine. “For me, it’s more fun to play doubles tennis because we get to compare notes and decide a strategy against our competition.” Katherine also looks forward to Girls Sports Night and in the meantime, plays Badminton and is a member of Mathletes, the Interact Club, the Sign Language Club, and the Chamber Orchestra.
↧
Successful Sisters Honored
Walt Whitman High School would like to identify two outstanding students, Rocio and Jissel Ramos Vasquez. Recently, both students were honored at the Town of Huntington’s Hispanic Youth Awards ceremony in September for their hard work and efforts both in and out of school. Rocio and Jissel are a prime example of how we want all students to succeed, regardless of the obstacles they may face. Congratulations to both ladies on a job well done.
↧
Breast Cancer Awareness Month
The District is awash in pink in recognition of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Many of us on Long Island and in the South Huntington community have had a loved one affected by this disease, so to honor those lives impacted and to support research, our students, sports teams and faculty are busy increasing awareness of the disease and raising funds for research into its cause, prevention, diagnosis, treatment and cure.
To learn more about Making Strides Against Breast Cancer visit the following site: http://www.nationalbreastcancer.org/
↧
↧
Senior Wildcats Lead the Way
It was a busy night on the Whitman campus as our Lady Wildcats gave it their all in winning fashion. The following was submitted by their respective coaches:
Congratulations Girls Swim Team: Although the Team lost to Sachem East 99-80, Emily Fung won the 100m breaststroke & qualified for Counties. Dana Keogler swam the 100m backstroke. Madison Fulcher swam the 500m freestyle & Julia Seitz did well in the 50m freestyle.
Congratulations Girls Varsity Soccer: Yesterday the Team defeated Bay Shore by a score of 2- 0. Danielle Kleet and Angelina Rinaldi scored for Whitman. Brittany Shaneberger made 4 saves to secure the shutout. This win secured a playoff spot for the Lady Wildcats! Congratulations Ladies.
Congratulations Girls Varsity Gymnastics: The Team had another successful win in competition yesterday against Harborfields. Senior Captain Danielle Harris had a personal best on the uneven bars and balance beam. Nice job by Juliana Chiriboga with a personal best on the balance beam and vault. Yagmur Aykanat, Danielle DeGaray, Brianna Scala, Shannyn Cory and Sarah Astegher all helped the team win. Excellent job girls! Come cheer for our Seniors Ariana Weindling, Danielle Harris and Holly Fontanetta at our Senior Meet on Friday, October 27th at 4pm.
↧
Stimson Generosity On Display
Penny Wars 2017 has officially come to a close. The buckets have been emptied, the coins have been counted, the food has been sorted, the military items have been packaged, the water bottles bagged, the Box Tops have been tallied, and the winner has been named. After a week in which a handful of teams slugged it out at the top of the leaderboard, it was Team 314 (Ms. Honovich) who seemed to come out of nowhere to take home the 2017 crown with 64,099 points. How did this team who finished no higher than 12th all week manage to pull off this upset? You may not be aware of this, but Ms. Honovich was Ms. Schmitt’s student teacher at Stimson a few years back. Those of you familiar with Penny Wars eleven-year history know that Ms. Schmitt, with four Penny Wars victories, has the winningest Penny Wars homeroom of all time. It seems that Ms. Hanovich applied what she learned as a student teacher to win one of the most exciting Penny Wars to date.
Thank you NEFCU for the use of their coin machine and to Brio’s Tuscan Grille for a Champion’s Luncheon. Donations will now be sent out for disaster relief and Maggie’s Mission. Most of the food items will be donated to St. Hugh’s. The remaining food items will be used to make Thanksgiving Baskets that will be delivered to families in the South Huntington community. The military items will be shipped overseas, with the help of the proceeds from the water bottle collection. The PTA will submit the Box Tops for which Stimson will receive a check.
So, there you have it. Penny Wars 2017 comes to a close. Once again, thank you parents, staff members, and especially students for your generosity and for making Penny Wars 2017 so memorable and a great week to be part of the Stimson family.
↧
Wildcats Drop a Tough Match
Whitman varsity girl’s volleyball lost a tough match to Northport on our Dig Pink night 3 games to 2. The girls dropped the first two sets 25-17 and 25-16 as they struggled to deal with the huge Northport block. The girls picked up their energy and their level of play and won the third set 25-22 and the fourth set 25-17. The girls attempted to win a five-set match after dropping the first two sets for the third time this season, but unfortunately, Northport was too tough for the girls in the fifth set, losing 25-20. The girls showed tremendous effort fighting back from the 0-2 deficit. Junior Ally DeGaray had 15 kills and 15 digs, Senior Libero Maelyn Latko had 17 digs and 3 aces and Freshman Amanda DeWitt had 14 kills and 7 aces.
↧
Taking the Classroom Outside
This past Sunday Ms. Workman’s class showed their adventuresome spirit as they met at Centerport beach for the annual trip to collect organisms for their class tank. Parents and students worked together to collect many specimens including snails, mussels, guppies, sea plants and even shrimp! The collected organisms will take up residence in the class's saltwater tank, as an extension of the Cornell Cooperative Extension Discovery tank program, which is provided by the Countrywood PTA. By observing the natural phenomena of the relationship between plants and animals, the students were able to ask questions and make new discoveries. Hands-on learning at its best!
↧
↧
From Acting with Accents to Stage Prop Design
Walt Whitman fielded an impressive group of dancers, musicians, thespians, singers, and artisans last Friday at this year’s ‘A Day With the Arts' Conference. Our students got to delve into intensive hands-on workshops in dance, music, and theatre at Adelphi’s Performing Arts Center. The event also featured keynote speaker Telly Leung, a multi-talented Broadway star who has made a name in television and the recording studio.
Many of our busy artisans will be highlighted at the annual Fall Drama production of ‘Front’ beginning November 17th at 7:30 PM at Whitman’s Performing Arts Center.
↧
Homecoming is This Saturday!
The South Huntington School District stands at the center of a vibrant community that is rich with pride and steeped in nearly a century of tradition. Our people share a special feeling about their schools and relish the opportunity to celebrate the collective commitment to excellence.
The Wildcat Maroon and White holds a coveted place in all of our hearts and that spirit is exemplified in our annual Homecoming celebration. We have worked hard over the years to grow this festival into a grand community event and have been thrilled to see countless individuals and groups join in the parade and celebratory activities.
We know in our hearts and souls that the 2017 Homecoming parade will be bigger and better than ever and welcome you (and your organization) to be part of the wonderful day. With that said, you are invited to join us for a float filled parade, which will depart Walt Whitman at 11:30AM on October 28th and process through the neighborhood, before marching down Jericho Turnpike, and returning triumphantly to our great high school. This promises to be an outstanding day and your presence would lift the spirits of our learning family and greatly enhance the quality of the celebration.
We invite you to join us at any of the accompanying festivities. If you would like to reserve a spot in the parade contact my office at 631-812-3070.
We hope you can join us and catch the Wildcat pride!
Be well,
Dave Bennardo
Spirit Week Schedule of Events by School:
Silas Wood Spirit Week Events:
Monday (10/23): Sports Day - All are encouraged to wear their favorite team’s jersey or sports shirt. It could be a team you participate in or a professional sports team you like.
Tuesday (10/24): Team Color; Team 1 – Green; Team 2 – Blue; Team 3 – Yellow; Team 4 - Red
Wednesday (10/25): Great and Powerful Superhero Day! - Dress like your favorite superhero, or as a role model, i.e. your teacher.
Thursday (10/26): Pajama Day - No need to change into your work/school clothes on this morning. Please wear appropriate attire!
Friday (10/27): Maroon & White Day - Please wear maroon and white and show your school spirit! This is how we can show our support for the Whitman Varsity football team over the weekend.
Stimson Spirit Week Events:
Students are encouraged to participate in the following theme days:
Monday (10/23): Pajama Day – wear your pajamas to school-Please wear appropriate attire!
Tuesday (10/24): Jersey Day – wear a sports jersey, team shirt, or other team apparel
Wednesday (10/25): Crazy Socks Day – wear the craziest socks you can find
Thursday (10/26): Concert Shirt Day – wear your concert t-shirt or your rocker clothing
Friday (10/27): Red Day – wear red to support Red Ribbon Week
Walt Whitman Spirit Week Events:
Monday (10/23): Sports Day - Show your team spirit, wear your favorite sports jersey; Penny Wars in Cafeterias
Tuesday (10/24): J Red, White and Blue day; Penny Wars in Cafeterias
Wednesday (10/25): Class Color Day - Competition Day
Participation counted in extended first period
Wear your class T-shirt or: Freshman wear purple, Sophomores wear white, Juniors wear blue, Seniors wear black, Faculty/Staff wear Red
Penny Wars in Cafeterias
Thursday (10/26): Pajama Day /Powder Puff (Participation counted in extended first period - Wear your Pajama's to school (Please wear appropriate attire!) or your powder puff shirt)
Powder Puff Girls' Football Game 5:00 pm Turf Field
Penny Wars in Cafeterias
Friday (10/27): Maroon and White Day Shortened Periods
Pep Rally in the North Gym following 8th period
Penny Wars in Cafeterias
Bonfire/Carnival Games- 4 to 6:30 pm North Gym Parking Lot
Saturday (10/28): Float Judging Contest -10:30 am at Whitman.
Homecoming Parade - 11:30 am
Join your class and walk behind your float
Homecoming Football Game -2:00 pm Turf Field- Whitman Wildcats vs. Sachem North.
↧
Marching Band Home Show
On a warm, early October evening, the Walt Whitman High School field was energized with color, sounds, and the excitement of seven Long Island marching bands. The Walt Whitman High School Marching Band stepped out on the turf field, with the stands full of cheering fans and gave a strong 1st place performance. This year's production, QUESTion: A journey through Curiosity, received awards for Best Overall Effect and Best Visual Performance. The success of this year’s Battle of the Marching Bands Competition could not have happened without the time and efforts of the Band Parents Association; Walt Whitman High School Administration, Teachers, Student Volunteers and Custodial Staff; South Huntington District Administration, Security Team and Building & Grounds Department. Thank you all for your continuing support! Please join us again on October 29th at 1pm, as Walt Whitman High School hosts the New York States Championships.
↧