We hear from Boys Varsity Soccer coaches John DiGiacomo and Brian Karcz that the team out swam the Lindenhurst Bulldogs yesterday (Thursday 9/10) to the score of 2-0. Facing difficult weather, the Wildcats pulled together and got the job done. Michael Lorello got the team on the board with a direct kick in the 54th minute. He then added an insurance goal to seal the victory minutes later. Jonathan Consolo, Fabrizio Chamorro, and Blake Aronson helped control the midfield.
The Wildcats once again played stout defense in front of Austin Salas who made 3 saves to preserve his second shutout in as many games. The team is currently 2-0 and ranked #8 in the state. The Wildcats are back on the road on Wednesday night at Copiague at 6:30 p.m. Come and support the team at their first home game next Friday versus Northport at 4:45 p.m.
9/7 post:
The Boys Varsity Soccer Team kicked off their season with a 1-0 win over perennial Catholic League powerhouse St. John the Baptist on Saturday. Michael Lorello netted the game winner for the Wildcats in the 28th minute off a rebound shot by Witman Hernandez. Blake Aronson, Eduardo Alfaro, Noel Reyes, and Bobby Cerrito anchored the defense in front of Austin Salas who made 3 saves for the shutout. The team is currently ranked 11th in the state. The team opens up their League II schedule on Thursday, 9/10 at Lindenhurst. Come support the Wildcats at their first home game on Friday, 9/18 at 4:45 p.m. versus Northport.
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Boys Soccer Ranked #8 in State
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9-11 Reflections from Superintendent Bennardo
It is difficult to believe that 14 years have passed since the September 11, 2001 attack upon our nation. It is equally surreal to consider that each year brings an increasing number of young people for whom this anniversary represents a distant date in history, rather than the moment when life in America actually stood still. I'm not sure whether it is the increased gray in our temples, or additional wrinkle lines in our foreheads, but as the years fly by, something compels our generation to safeguard the legacy of that fateful day. While our contemporaries will undoubtedly recall exactly where they were as the calm of the crystal clear September morning was shattered and our nation forever transformed, the real enduring lesson is found in the heroism and unity that 9-11 engendered. Although there is no denying the horrible pictures of destruction and unthinkable images of human loss, there is also a crystal clear memory of unquestioned bravery and genuine sacrifice.
From the ashes of fallen buildings and burning planes emerged a feeling of unity that galvanized Americans like no time since the bombing of Pearl Harbor. It is simply impossible to forget the vision of first responders charging into danger to save the lives of people they had never met, or thousands of ordinary citizens lined up to give blood, donate food for rescuers, or simply offer prayers to community members in need. And who can forget the sweet voices of schoolchildren across the country singing God Bless America, or the priceless pictures of Republicans, Democrats, conservatives, and liberals standing side-by-side reciting the Pledge of Allegiance before the waving Stars and Stripes. For me, the take away lesson from 9-11 is that the things that bind our people will always be stronger than issues that divide us. While those that wish to do us harm might misinterpret our spirited discourse as a lack of national will, our robust debate is in fact a sign of our individual and collective freedoms. The fact is that the "better angels in our national soul" will always shine through in our country's hour of maximum need. We are at our very best when the way of life we embrace is challenged by forces outside our national family. We might squabble amongst ourselves, but the "wagons are always circled" in unbreakable unity when our fundamental values are challenged by those who underestimate our resolve.
So what better way to recognize this 9-11 anniversary than by loving our families, serving our communities, and giving thanks for a Nation that still serves as a beacon of freedom for people across the globe.
Be well, Dave Bennardo
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Solemn Ceremonies Open Schools in South Huntington
Schools in South Huntington took a moment today, as each building remembers in their own way, those who made the ultimate sacrifice, as well as the families whose lives were forever changed on September 11, 2001.
This morning, all of the students, faculty, and staff at Oakwood Primary Center gathered outside of their school for a 9-11-memorial ceremony. Ms. Herrera's Dual Language class held the flag and led the children in the Pledge of Allegiance. Principal Kerrigan, with the assistance of head custodian Chris Stevens, demonstrated the raising of the flag and then lowered it to half-mast and explained the significance of that action. Ms. Pinelli’s students did a fantastic job leading the audience in singing patriotic songs.
Over at Countrywood, the 9-11 ceremony was moved indoors due to the threat of more rain as staff and students came to school wearing red, white, and blue. Family members participated by joining the children in their classrooms. Principal Barbara Kenney delivered a message to the school community via microphone. She talked about the American flag at half-staff and while all of the children and teachers listened from their classrooms, they saluted the flag and held a moment of silence.
Music teacher, Mr. Slawitsky invited second grade students from Ms. DiNorcia, Ms. Kapps/Mr. Cardella, and Ms. Rabideau classes to join him in the All Purpose Room to assist him in leading the school community in this special ceremony. In unison, they sang a medley of patriotic songs, which could be heard throughout the building. Songs included “America,” “This Land is Your Land,” “You’re A Grand Old Flag,” and “God Bless America.” “To all those affected we can only offer our heartfelt thoughts and prayers,” said Countrywood Principal Ms. Barbara Kenney. “We can promise to honor the memory of their fallen relatives by loving our families, taking care of our communities, and cherishing our country.”
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BACK-TO-SCHOOL HACKATHON- Early Registration Opens for South Huntington Students
This January, one hundred students, ages 13-18, from around Long Island are invited to converge on our South Huntington Union Free School District to take part in an exciting and innovative event being delivered by “We Connect the Dots,” an educational, nonprofit organization that creates STEAM learning opportunities for students around the world.
The event, called the Back-to-School Hackathon, is a consecutive forty-eight hour competitive gamified learning experience that teaches students how to code in HTML5. “We Connect the Dots” has partnered with Microsoft to incorporate Microsoft Azure Solutions Platform to store students projects. Students will work in teams of four to compete for prizes and to see who can develop the best project in the given time, while learning valuable computer science skills that can be used outside of the classroom later in life.
South Huntington students, ages 13-18, can get a jump on securing a coveted spot for what promises to be an unforgettable and valuable experience.
South Huntington students should use the following link to register:
https://buildingsteam.we-connect-the-dots.org/huntington-station/events/south-huntington-ufsd-back-to-school-hackathon/e57433
Registration for the general public opens on September 15, 2015.
To register use the ‘Become a Fundraiser’ tab and begin your opportunity to be involved with the first 48-hour Hackathon on Long Island. Need help fundraising? Don’t worry, we have corporate sponsors willing to assist you, just contact Whitman’s College and Career Ready Coach, Rob Callahan at: rcallahan@shufsd.org
Computer science courses are where careers of the future will be firmly rooted. Students who leave high school with knowledge in computer programming, coding, and development have a competitive advantage over their peers, and an inroad into successful careers in the workforce of the future.
On hand will be partners from the technology industry who will be delivering the instruction, valuable talks about the future of tech careers, and coaching for students. Microsoft, one such supporter, has offered members of its Developer Experience (DX) Team to provide the students with insight to the work of a developer in one of the largest companies in the industry.
Students who attend the event in South Huntington may also have the opportunity to work with students around the world, as “We Connect the Dots” is currently coordinating with schools across the U.S. and abroad to deliver simultaneous events in multiple locations. The Back-to-School Hackathon promises to be an innovative educational program for students interested in learning more about coding and future careers.
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Stuff-A-Bus Stops in South Huntington
The spirit of community service continued in full force this past week as the generous members of the United Way teamed up with Huntington Coach and volunteers from Capital One Bank to donate a busload of school supplies for our South Huntington children. There was a special feeling of cooperation in the air at Stimson Middle School as students from the National Honor Society and Student Government formed a human assembly line to unload the countless boxes of school bags, books, markers, writing tablets, pencils, pens, and more that filled the full-size bus. “We are so very fortunate to have these community partners who join us in the special mission of educating our South Huntington children,” said Superintendent Bennardo. A special thanks to Barbara Burke, VP, Resource Development for United Way. “Our Partnership with United Way continues to be a valuable resource to students in our district. The school supplies will be distributed to our school social workers to share with students in need." said Deputy Superintendent Jacci Harris.
The district would also like to thank the following contributing partners and sponsors: Transportation Services Inc., Educational Bus Transportation Inc., MSC Industrial Direct, Inc., Newsday Media Group, Raymour & Flanigan, Make It Count Foundation, randstad USA, ClearVision Optical, THE BOXERY.COM, and The Garden City Group.
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NYSSMA Awards All-State to Four Whitman Students
“We are proud to announce that four of our Walt Whitman High School students have been named all-state musicians by the New York State School Music Association (NYSSMA),” said Superintendent Dave Bennardo.
Congratulations to Whitman seniors Derek Lap - Alto-Saxophone - Instrumental Jazz Ensemble; Brittany White - Trumpet - All-State Symphonic Band; and Alex Dermody - Soprano II - Mixed Chorus. We are also very proud to announce that Whitman junior Samuel Hoffman was also awarded NYSSMA All-State as a Tenor II - Mixed Chorus. “This remarkable honor, reserved for only the finest performers in the state, places our students among an elite group of talented young musicians,” added Bennardo.
Our four emerging stars will now perform with their groups at the NYSSMA All-State Conference in Rochester from December 3 to 6. Please join in congratulating our award-winning musicians, as well as the dedicated directors—Mr. Deitz, Mr. Altinel, and Mr. Yolango—who nurture their talents. We also join in thanking the parents of all our musicians for supporting and promoting the arts in their homes.
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Three Whitman Track Stars Head to States
In today’s Boys and Girls Section XI Championships, three from Walt Whitman Boys Track Team will represent Long Island in the State Championships. Chad Maier will run the 3200-meter, Jacob Kahrs will run the 1600-meter, and Shamar Powell will be featured in the 1000-meter. Congratulations Wildcat track as they head to Cornell University on March 7, for the NYSPHSAA Championships.
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Varsity Cheer Youth Clinic
Dear Cheerleader for a day participant: We are happy to announce our varsity cheerleading youth clinic is back! Go Wildcats!!
When: Saturday, September 19th and/or Saturday September 26th
Where: Silas Wood School Gymnasium
Time: 10:30AM to 1PM
Please fill in the information on the attached flyer to pick your day/days and return to: SHUFSD, 60 Weston Street, Huntington Station, NY 11746, Attn: Athletic Dept. C/O Varsity Cheer
Any Questions? Contact Coach at traykoch@yahoo.com
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NYS Educator of Excellence at Silas Wood
Congratulations Stephanie Brown, a South Huntington 6th grade teacher and Common Core Coach, who will be receiving an Educator of Excellence Award from the New York State English Council conference in October.“Having the opportunity to be the ELA Common Core Coach has allowed me an opportunity to take on leadership roles within the school and the district, while at the same time maintaining my passion for teaching and learning in the classroom,” said Ms. Brown.“Stephanie Brown is a valued educator who looks at the "whole child" with a sense of understanding,” said Silas Wood Principal Stephen Toto. “She holds them to high academic expectations and challenges and encourages them to be the best students they can be.”
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Records Break Amid Strong Season
Great news from coach Karen Schmitt. The Varsity Field Hockey team won their 4th game of the season Wednesday afternoon, maintaining their undefeated status. Now 3-0 in Division I, Whitman beat Connetquot 3-2 in overtime. With 6:01 left in overtime, Whitman earned a corner. Kerry Conlon inserted the ball to Amanda Glaser who made a direct shot on goal. Christina LoFaso tipped the ball in to the top of the net securing the win. The first two Whitman goals were scored by Kelly Baumann and Amanda Glaser with assists by Kerry Conlon and Christina LoFaso. It was a great team effort. Whitman faces undefeated Northport Thursday 9/17. The Connetquot win came on the heels of the 4-1 win over Lindenhurst last Friday.
The Boys Varsity Soccer Team rolled Copiague by the score of 5-0 on Wednesday night (9/16). Blake Aronson got the Wildcats on the board with a 25 yard shot off a pass from Jon Consolo in the 6th minute. Witman Hernandez netted 2 goals, while Kevin Hererra and Anthony Palazzolo each tallied their first Varsity goals. Olvin Dominguez added 2 assists and Michael Lorello added one. Austin Salas and Marc DePasquale combined to make 4 saves to preserve the shutout. With the win, the Wildcats' record stands at 3-0 and has earned them a #2 ranking in New York State. Please come out and support the team at their first home game Friday 9/18 at 4:45pm versus rival Northport.
Coach Steve Greco is happy to report that Whitman’s Girls Varsity Volleyball defeated Hills West last Friday in a great 5 set match, coming back from a 2 sets to 1 deficit and trailing 9-1 in the 4th set. The team played hard all night and rallied together to come back and win 25-22 in the 5th set. The team was led by two single game record performances. Senior Outside Hitter Emma Kongevold set the single game program record with 27 kills and Junior Setter Olivia Poplawski set the single game program record with 46 assists. Emma added 14 digs and 5 blocks, Junior Libero Lauren Civello added 23 digs and Junior Middle Jess Young added 8 kills and 7 blocks. The team played great together for the win.
The Varsity Girls Tennis team lost a nail biter on Wednesday evening to Kings Park 4-3. In singles play, Kayla Soulias dominated her opponent winning in 2 sets 7-5, 6-2. In doubles action, Christina Bogdani and Emma Coleman beat their opponents 8-6, 3-6, and 6-3. Julia Ballontine and Sabrina Greenberg defeated their opponents in straight sets 6-1, 6-1.
Please come support the girls as they play Northport today at 4pm here at Whitman and Friday home against Huntington at 4 pm.
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Champions and Stars Highlight Birchwood Pep Rally
Birchwood held its annual Academic Pep Rally during the week of September 8-11th. This year’s motivational video theme was “Champions and Stars.” Students and staff celebrated education by focusing on how everyone’s future is unlimited and by taking on the challenges of today, and by digging a little deeper, we can be amazing.
Teachers read the book, “What Do You Do With An Idea?” by Kobi Yamadato to their students. This is the story of a brilliant idea and the young child who helps to bring it into the world. As the child's confidence grows, so does the idea itself. And then, one day, something amazing happens.
Birchwood students and teachers then brainstormed ideas on how to be successful at Birchwood this year. To follow-up and build on the theme of “Champions and Stars” each classroom used a light bulb template to organize their plan for success. Another special highlight of the week was a visit from the Whitman Varsity Competitive Dance Team, as well as a dance performance by Birchwood’s very own staff. It was a great week and was accomplished with the fine work of the amazing Birchwood staff.
Congratulations to Birchwood’s finest dancers: Sarah Friedman, Ian “the Wildcat” Denson, Jackie Patino, Ilisa Guittard, Alicia Bucari, Tracey Maddy, Christine Sepe, Melissa Marando, Jasmery Polanco, Lauren Yonce, Elizabeth Weis, Caitlin Bishop, Jill Okurowski, Erin Kessler, Melissa Vultaggio, Carolyn Crofton, Yadigar Saglam, Linda Stauder, Jessica Flinn, Dolores Rufrano, Jen Provda, and Kristin Lally.
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Having a Blast at SHEF's Family Fun Day
The South Huntington Educational Foundation (SHEF) held their 12th annual family fun day under a picture perfect sky on Sunday, September 6th and the community came out for a great afternoon on grounds of West Hills Day Camp. With over 400 in attendance, families spread out over the campgrounds and enjoyed; the West Hills nature center, swings, sports of all kinds, playgrounds for every age, heated pools and the hugely popular giant water slide. Everyone enjoyed salads, watermelon, soft drinks, hot dogs, and hamburgers.
This was the third year that an entertainment stage was in place for many local groups to perform. Thank you Carlo Giordano and his staff at Walt Whitman High School for setting up and dismantling the stage. The event kept a full slate of performers busy all afternoon delighting the audience. Also back from last year was a vendor’s row with locally made items as well as professional services. This fundraiser helps SHEF purchase many items not in the school budget that help support a quality educational experience for the children in the South Huntington School District. This past year SHEF purchased zSpace, a 3-D interactive virtual learning environment that consists of 14 high definition workstations that uses glasses and a stylus to create an immersive educational experience.
The ever-popular dunk tank featured: Sue Cirillo, Edwin Smith, Allison Bruno, Dave Bennardo, Jim Kaden, John Murphy, Steve Toto, Vito D'Elia, Dennis Callahan, Anthony Ciccarelli, Janice Reichert-Emprimo, and Karissa Tomeo.
SHEF would like to thank the community for their incredible support in making this day very special.
Photo Gallery
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Meghan Brady-Fuchsman Wins Middle School Geography Bee
Quick: The Gila River flows south of Phoenix and is a tributary of what major river? Don’t know? Then try this one: Camp David, a presidential retreat in Catoctin Mountain Park, is located in which state that borders Delaware?
If you don’t know the answers to the above questions off the top of your head, don’t feel bad. Not many people do. There is one seventh-grader at Stimson Middle School who does. Her name is Meghan Brady-Fuchsman, and she will be heading up to the New York State National Geography Bee in Albany on Friday, March 27 to compete in the 2015 New York State National Geographic Bee. Each year thousands of schools in the United States participate in the National Geographic Bee using materials prepared by the National Geographic Society.
Ok, here’s an easy one: Disney’s blockbuster movie Frozen is set in the fictional land of Arendelle, which was largely inspired by the country of Norway. Norway is located on which European peninsula? Meghan got this one right…How about you?
The answer is tucked away in the photograph. Congratulations Meghan and good luck at the State competition.
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Countrywood Situation Under Investigation
Hi All
We wanted to provide you a heads up on a situation.
Earlier today, we had a Kindergarten child at Countrywood find a 1 ½ inch by 1 ½ inch bag of what appears to be marijuana on the All Purpose Room floor of the school. The students were entering the room for their rhythm and movement period when the child noticed the bag on the floor and turned it over to a paraprofessional. This was the room’s first use for the day and the children in the immediate area appeared to have no knowledge of how the item made it to the All Purpose Room floor. We have been in touch with the police and they will be taking possession of the bag and assisting with our investigation.
Obviously, we are very concerned over this type of item being found in any of our district buildings and particularly troubled over the discovery in a primary building. Fortunately, everyone is safe, and the item has been turned over to the appropriate authorities. Rest assured we are taking this matter seriously and investigating the situation.
Dave Bennardo
Barbara Kenney
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Wrestlers Head to Hofstra for Championships
In a dual wrestling meet at the end of January, the Whitman team tuned-up against Deer Park as they prepared for the League II Championships the following weekend. The Wildcats scored a 45-31 win against Deer Park, taking nine of the fifteen weight class bouts. Winners on the day were: Kevin Romano(113) 6-2, Javier Dubon(120) pinned his opponent, Eddie McGuigan(126) pinned his opponent, Cristian Villanueva(132) pinned his opponent, Elvin Campos(145) pinned his opponent, Chris Marrion(170) pinned his opponent, Devin Marion(195) 8-1, Vincent Feola(220) 5-2, and Terron Robinson pinned his opponent.
Photo Gallery(in weight class order)
Wildcat wrestling coaches, Mr. Vincent Altebrando, Mr. James Salvaggio, and Mr. Chris Cardella are proud of the success of their young team as they powered their way through the League II tournament. Wildcat wrestlers earned six individual spots in the Suffolk County Championships that begin tomorrow, Saturday, February 14th.
We are all excited to follow the success of Thomas DeGaetano wrestling at 99-pounds, Josh Roiland(138lbs), Elvin Campos(145lbs), Devon Marion(195lbs), Vincent Feola(220lbs), Terron Robinson(285lbs), and Patrick Brady(285lbs), as they unleash months of hard work and personal sacrifice going up against Suffolk County’s best wrestlers.
Photo Gallery
Section XI Division I Championships, Hofstra University
2/14 - Preliminary Rounds, 10* am ($6 Adm)
2/15 - Semi-Finals, 10 am ($6 Adm)
Parade of Champions/Finals, 6 pm ($6 Adm)
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Roses Are Red….
The students in Mrs. Chinnici’s Kindergarten Class are celebrating Valentine’s Day across the curriculum. First they created beautiful cards, developing fine motor control. They learned about poems and practiced several sight words using the classic Valentine’s Day Poem “Roses are red……”.
The students were also busy at home writing Valentine’s Day cards to all of their friends and after passing them out, the students sorted and graphed their cards according to the characters on their cards. And just to get a jump on our 100-Day Celebration, the students hung 100 hearts from the ceiling and learned how to count by 10’s and 5’s to 100. The students in Mrs. Chinnici’s Class are having fun while learning!
Happy Valentines Day Everyone!
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Vincent Feola Wins County Title, Terron Robinson All-County
In early December, Vincent Feola began the wrestling season by winning the Andrew Peers Memorial Tournament against a tough competitor in Conner Farrell from Sachem East. On Sunday, at the Suffolk County Championship Semi Finals, the only thing standing in the way of Feola advancing to the finals was Conner Farrell.
While the Peers Tournament signaled the beginning of the wrestling season, today’s Suffolk County Championships signaled the end of the season for many. Farrell proved to be a tough competitor, but Feola had been there before and was not going to be denied a shot at his second Suffolk County Championship.
On Sunday night, after two days of wrestling, Feola, wrestling at 220-pounds, earned his second Suffolk County Title in a close 3-2 win against Anthony DiMatteo from Sachem North. Feola will now travel to the Times Union Center in Albany for the 2015 State Wrestling Championships, February 27-28.
Congratulations Suffolk County Champion Vincent Feola!
In other wrestling news from the County Championships, Whitman's Terron Robinson, wrestling in the 285-pound class, made his way to the semi finals and ended the day with a 4th place finish earning All-County recognition. Congratulations Terron on a terrific season!
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South Huntington's Best Honored
The Teacher of The Year Awards ceremony is always a highly anticipated event. The South Huntington Board of Education, the district’s administrators, and the South Huntington learning community were out in full force Wednesday evening, February 11th, to give well-deserved recognition and praise to their top teachers during this annual celebration.
South Huntington’s district-wide teacher of the year is Walt Whitman Special Education teacher Ms. Amy Emde. Whitman Principal Ms. Kathleen Acker had this to say about her honoree: “Ms. Emde has to be one of the most caring individuals I have ever met and she epitomizes what it means to be a teacher. She literally sees the good in every child and has a unique gift that enables her to show the student what she sees and encourages them to reflect on their strengths. Ms. Emde is the teacher that sees the glass half full, not half empty. During times of tightening budgets and declining resources Amy is not that person to throw her hands in the air and say ‘oh well,’ she is the one that says ... ‘what if we try this.’ This remarkable amalgam of talent, enthusiasm, and sustained dedication is extremely deserving of the honor as Walt Whitman High School's and South Huntington's Teacher of the Year." Kathie Acker- Principal
Congratulations to all these fine teachers, who make a difference and truly love what they do.
OAKWOOD PRIMARY CENTER
Madeline Borland - Teacher of the Year“Ms. Madeline Borland, known as Midge to all, has been teaching for thirty years. She is a kind and understanding kindergarten teacher who embodies the early childhood philosophy for learning. Her lessons are always well-organized, motivating, differentiated, and challenging. She is described by parents as: ‘loving, concerned, respectful, and exciting,’ and by supervisors as ‘superorganized, enthusiastic, integrated lessons, great planning, creative, actively engaged students, fun, exciting, and possessing leadership qualities.’ This year she continued a special program- 'Valentine Pajamas for Patients,’ a program to collect flannel pajamas for women undergoing chemotherapy at Sloan Kettering. Congratulations Ms. Borland as Oakwood Teacher of the Year.” Eileen Kerrigan, Principal
COUNTRYWOOD PRIMARY CENTER
Adam Slawitsky - Teacher of the Year
“Mr. Slawitsky brings much enthusiasm, competence, and dedication to teaching and learning. His music room is a positive learning environment where children engage in making music, and appreciating it in its many, varied forms. He values and acknowledges his 600-plus students, communicates confidence in their ability to be successful, and rewards their efforts with special music certificates during their music classes. On any given day, happy, smiling faces can be seen walking in the hallway with a music certificate in hand. Adam Slawitsky is one of those exceptional people who make a big difference in a child's life. He is a model arts educator who represents the profession in the finest manner possible. Congratulations Adam!” Barbara Kenney- Principal
BIRCHWOOD INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL
Ian Denson – Teacher of the Year“As a student I ask you to think back to the teacher that made learning so much fun that you didn't even realize you were learning, such as incorporating humorous, descriptive and sometimes fictional stories about his life to make you laugh, that is Ian. Think about your child's teacher who comes out on a Sunday Morning with his family to eat Breakfast at Applebee’s for a [Birchwood] fundraiser because he knows how much it means to your child. As a parent, think about your child sharing a story each night at dinner of how their teacher made the day memorable, that is Ian. As Ian Denson, Birchwood Teacher of the Year, think about the lives you have touched and how you have made Birchwood a better place because you care to make a difference!” Anthony Ciccarelli- Principal
MAPLEWOOD INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL
Tonya Lourenco – Teacher of the Year“Ms. Lourenco has been a teacher at Maplewood for the past 17 years. One of the qualities I admire most about Tonya is her willingness to challenge herself with regularity. Never complacent or settling for mediocrity, Tonya has volunteered to change grade levels and even to team teach in an inclusion class when the opportunities arose. She is always willing to learn a new grade level, thus adding another facet to an already illustrious career. Another one of Tonya's outstanding personality traits is the spirit of collaboration she so willingly promotes. Her collegiality and congeniality make her one of the most well respected members of the Maplewood community. She is well-liked and admired by administrators, teachers, parents, and students as well.” Dr. Vito D’Elia- Principal
SILAS WOOD SIXTH-GRADE CENTER
Hilcia Brandt – Teacher of the Year“Ms. Brandt is a positive role model to all students that cross her path. She enthusiastically engages her students and encourages them to be lifelong learners. Ms. Brandt incorporates the use of iPads within her instruction and fosters a hands on approach to learning. She consistently diversifies and differentiates her lessons to maintain student engagement of her English Language Learners. Her enthusiasm, love, and passion for teaching shine through each day that she walks into her classroom. Ms. Brandt does not work or serve for awards or accolades, but simply to inspire and impact all those she comes in contact with each day. In short, she is a vital part of the Silas Wood Sixth-GradeCenter'steam.” Steve Toto- Principal
HENRY L. STIMSON MIDDLE SCHOOL
Seth Goldman – Teacher of the Year“Seth is a Math teacher, so when he asked for funding for a really cool activity, I thought to myself, anything that could make math sound cool we should certainly look into. What Seth was asking for was a motion detector that connects to the Tl-84 calculator. The motion detector tracks the path of a beach ball thrown by a student. I will admit, I heard beach ball and a way to make Algebra 1 more interesting and jumped at the opportunity to fund it. Shortly thereafter I observed the lesson, and saw students laughing, engaged, having fun, and most importantly learning. This is what is so special about Seth. Beyond his roles as a coach, advisor to National Junior Honor Society, Tech Mentor, and Mathematics Common Core Coach, he is dedicated to making learning real and fun for his students.” Edwin Smith- Principal
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Whitman Students Promote French Language
Did you know that one-third of all English words are derived from French words.If you speak English, you already know about 15,000 French words! Walt Whitman French Students decided that it was time to bring this, as well as much more, to share with their pals at Silas Wood’s 6th-Grade Center.
The purpose of the trip to Silas was to teach the sixth-graders about the French language and culture. The students from Walt Whitman put together a presentation that touched upon the various aspects of the French language and culture.
As you can see in the slides of their linked presentation, one of the key elements was how French vocabulary can help in preparing for the SAT. They stressed the fact that 33% of English words derived from French. They also pointed out the benefits of taking a language such as French, which is spoken in five continents.
The high school students also spoke about French Cuisine, Geography, Art and Fashion, Science, Business, Sports, History, Cinema/Music, and of course Traveling to France. After the slide show, the six-graders learned a French song and competed for the best performance. They voted for a winner who received a mixed-CD of French songs made by Whitman student Jonathan Mozoon.
The sixth-graders had a marvelous time learning about the French language and culture from the high school students who were once at Silas Wood themselves not knowing what language to choose. Most of the sixth-graders left the room empowered, singing "tête, épaules, genoux, pieds. Hopefully, few years from now it will be their turn to expose other sixth-graders to the French language and culture.
Thank you Walt Whitman students: seniors: Jonathan Mozoon and Ellen Tricomi; juniors: Verdelle Saint Jean; and sophomores: Ophelia Banatte-Schuster, Christina Bogdani, Esteban Lopez, and Epiphanie Ramirez.
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Cover Girl
Walt Whitman graduate Kelley Rauseo, class of 2005, is the new face of the New York City Marathon for 2015. A photo of Kelley crossing the finish line is on the cover of the New York City Marathon Magazine and her face is on billboards throughout the city advertising the November 1, 2015 event. We caught up with Kelley and learned that after playing Soccer, Lacrosse, and running Cross Country at Whitman, she hasn’t slowed down a bit.“I attended college at the University of Notre Dame in South Bend and majored in Economics,” said Kelley. “I have been working in finance at Morgan Stanley in Manhattan ever since. At Morgan, I also serve as the Charity and Volunteer Committee Chair for our division. I am an active member of the New York Road Runners and NYPD Running Club. I ran the 2014 NYC on behalf of the NYPD and completed the (very windy and cold) course in a time of 3:31:24. I felt honored and excited to be on the same course as some of the running greats: Meb Keflezighi, Desiree Linden and Kara Goucher.”
Congratulations Kelley Rauseo, you make Walt Whitman High School and South Huntington proud!
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