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East Islip Middle School eighth grader Matthew Sundberg, a key member of East Islip High School’s boys varsity bowling team, finished second in Suffolk County with a 233 average, earning him All-Star honors. Sundberg also was named All-League and All-County. He will compete as a member of the Section XI All-Star team in Syracuse on March 12. 

Date Added: 2/28/2022

Just prior to midwinter recess, Timber Point Elementary School held its own version of the Winter Olympics, with students going for the gold in physical education. East Islip’s youngest athletes trained on bobsleds, shot hockey goals, practiced ski jumps and played their own version of curling.

Date Added: 2/24/2022

East Islip High School’s robotics team traveled to Freeport High School on Feb. 5 to compete in one of this year’s VEX VRC “Tipping Point” competitions, finishing in the top seven and nearly unseating two highly ranked teams in what would be their last match of the day.

All year long, East Islip’s robotics students have been designing and creating competition robots in their respective Robotics I and II courses as well as in the Robotics Club. Their designs and concepts culminated in the creation of a competition robot that was ready for battle.

Several group members contributed heavily to the team’s success: Team leader Zoe Elder, top driver Sebastian Gebhard, pit crew chief Louis Attard, team scout leader Anthony Ognibene and quality control expert Kaitlin McCall helped guide their team throughout the day. Additionally, members of the U.S. Army’s Bay Shore recruiting office sponsored the team’s competition shirts, and Sgt. 1st Class David Nhan and Staff Sgt. Mathew Petiprin attended the competition to cheer on the squad. 

“Several of the team members have been a part of EIHS Robotics for multiple years now, and we have grown so much as a program,” technology education teacher Jim Connell said. “It was great to see these students have so much success at this event.”

“I’m not directly involved in the robotics program but I love volunteering my time to help the team out whenever I can,” technology education teacher Bill Lackner said. “Being a part of the technology education department over the past few years has really helped me grow as a teacher and these types of experiences definitely help me continue that growth.”

Click to view video footage.

Date Added: 2/24/2022

East Islip High School’s varsity cheerleaders finished seventh out of 80 teams at the Universal Cheerleaders Association’s National High School Cheerleading Championship, held Feb. 11-13 at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida. This was only the second time in program history that East Islip’s cheerleading team has attended nationals and none of the current athletes have ever previously participated. East Islip also competed in the Suffolk County finals on Feb. 19, finishing second.

The best teams from across the country come annually to the UCA event to compete for the title of national champion. East Islip was in one of the largest divisions, so large that an additional elimination round had to be added for the first time in UCA history. After four rounds of competition, East Islip made it to the finals and earned seventh place in the nation.

“To be a nationally ranked team is an honor and a privilege,” coach Ariel Abesamis said. “We are very proud to have brought a trophy back to EI.”

Date Added: 2/23/2022

East Islip High School photography students Daniel Droz and Kelly Waldron, both juniors, were chosen to have their work displayed at the Colors of Long Island exhibition at the Long Island Museum. Due to the pandemic, there will be no reception this year, but the show will be on public view at the museum from March 3 through April 3.

“It is such an honor to have artwork shown in a well-known museum on Long Island,” teacher Heather Toomey said. “I am grateful for the opportunity and so proud of Kelly and Daniel for their strong photographic works. Daniel took Photography 1 last year and has demonstrated continued interest and talent in the photographic arts. This is Kelly’s first year in photography and she has been excelling on photography projects since the first week of school. They are both deserving to have this honor of having their work exhibited in such a wonderful, professional space.”

“I really love photography and I am grateful for the opportunity to exhibit in my art in the Long Island Museum,” Waldron said.

“It’s an honor for my artwork to be in the Long Island Museum,” Droz said. “I really enjoy photography and art, and I am hoping to take more classes next year.”

Date Added: 2/22/2022

East Islip High School athlete Jack Milligan, a member of the Connetquot/East Islip combined boys varsity swim team, competed in four events at the Suffolk County Swimming Championships, held Feb. 12 at Stony Brook University. He qualified for the New York State Championships in the 200-meter and 400-meter freestyle relays, and his team placed second in the county. Milligan will represent East Islip on March 3-5 at the state tournament in Ithaca.

Date Added: 2/22/2022

Ñî¹óåú´«Ã½ recently held a book drive for the Book Fairies, a nonprofit organization that collects books for those in need across Long Island and New York City. The reading materials foster literacy and academic success and nurture a love of reading across age groups. More than 40 boxes worth of books were received, sorted and packaged for this worthy cause.

“This was such a positive experience,” reading specialist Lisa Von Glahn said. “Thank you to all the Ñî¹óåú´«Ã½ families and staff who graciously donated their gently used and new books. Special thanks to the Ñî¹óåú´«Ã½ PTA, who helped promote this event and donated cardboard boxes.”

Date Added: 2/18/2022

Two members of East Islip High School’s winter track team are heading to the New York State Track and Field Championship on March 5. In the qualifiers, freshman Joseph Norrby won the high jump event by clearing six feet, while Kevin Smith took third place in the 55-meter dash.

Date Added: 2/18/2022

Four of East Islip High School’s varsity wrestlers placed in the Suffolk County tournament, held Feb. 13 at Bay Shore High School, and the Redmen placed sixth overall as a team.

Undefeated sophomore Sebastian Regis (23-0) captured first place overall in the 285-pound class, becoming East Islip’s first county champion wrestler since Jesse Dellavecchia in 2015. Regis dominated the event, pinning all four opponents including No. 1 seed John Feramola from Connetquot High School in the finals. Regis qualified for the New York State tournament, to be held at Pepsi Arena in Albany on Feb. 25-26.

Continuing East Islip’s excellent showing, senior Rob Dombrowski finished fourth at 160 pounds, sophomore Anthony Avitabile placed fifth at 138 pounds and junior Stephen Coleman placed sixth at 152 pounds.

Date Added: 2/17/2022

Timber Point held a schoolwide 100th day of school celebration on Feb. 16. Students and staff created and wore their own special 100th day shirt and participated in many 100th day activities throughout the day. Taylor Stockert’s kindergarten class created a “100 Ways to Spread Kindness" chain. Students came up with five acts of kindness each, with the finished result displayed in the hallway to spread some smiles.

Date Added: 2/17/2022

East Islip High School seniors Jessica Peluso and Kevin Smith were recently named winners of this year’s Suffolk Zone Awards.

The Suffolk Zone Chapter of the New York State Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance annually gives awards to one male and one female student in each Suffolk high school who contribute to the overall positive outcomes of their physical education and health classes as well as their school. These students make an outstanding effort to be cooperative, honest, poised, self-confident, attentive, industrious and enthusiastic toward all class activities while working to support the instructional efforts of the class. Unfortunately, due to the pandemic, there was no award ceremony this year.

Peluso, a three-sport All-County athlete in basketball, field hockey and lacrosse, will be attending and playing lacrosse for the University of Colorado.

Smith, a three-sport All-League and All-Division athlete in football, track and soccer, is undecided on which college he will attend.

Date Added: 2/15/2022

East Islip High School senior Leonardo Lopez signed a national letter of intent on Feb. 10 to play football for Pace University, where he plans to major in business. The running back earned numerous accolades during his East Islip football career, including All-State, two-time All-Long Island First Team and All-County First Team, and Outstanding Running Back in Suffolk.

Date Added: 2/15/2022

The PTA at East Islip’s Connetquot Elementary School recently provided each classroom with craft supplies for students to make Valentine’s Day cards for senior citizens in the Town of Islip. Connetquot’s students donated over 300 cards, which they created and then mailed via the “CES Love Bug.” The cards will be attached to meals that are delivered to seniors on Valentine’s Day. The remaining cards will be distributed at the Town of Islip Senior Citizen Recreational Centers.

“This project exceeded my expectations,” CES PTA President Colleen Multari said. “The cards are so sweet, creative and funny. The students and staff did a wonderful job and I am sure that these cards will bring the senior citizens of our community so much joy.”

Date Added: 2/11/2022

East Islip High School’s proud varsity wrestling team won its first Suffolk County League V Tournament title since 2011 on Feb. 5, powered by an exceptional performance by sophomore Sebastian Regis. It was the Redmen’s ninth league championship in school history.
In the last bout of the championships, the undefeated 17-0 Regis – wrestling in the 285-pound class – pinned top-ranked opponent Cole Blatter of Comsewogue in 4:48 to win first place for both himself and his team.

Coached by Mike Longobardi, East Islip ended the victorious day with three other champions: sophomore Anthony Avitable (138 pounds), senior Rob Dombrowski (160 pounds) and junior Matt Walsh (110 pounds). Dombrowski claimed the Most Pins, Least Time award.

The rampaging Redmen also boasted a dozen place winners. Seventh grader Gryffin Alfalla (110 pounds) and junior Stephan Coleman (152 pounds) finished in second place; freshman Logan Alfalla (126 pounds), junior DeAndre Perez (215 pounds), junior Justin Shayew (118 pounds) and junior James Sturek (189 pounds) finished in third; and eighth-grader Rocco Destefano (102 pounds) and junior Chris Trahey (138) finished in fourth place. Gryffin Alfalla, who lost in the finals to teammate Walsh, became only the third East Islip seventh-grade wrestler to ever be named All-League.

Date Added: 2/11/2022

East Islip High School skater Vanessa Rossa won a gold and bronze medal at the Empire State Winter Games, held Feb. 3-6 in Lake Placid. The ESWG is the largest multisport amateur athletic winter sporting event in North America.  

Rossa competed in figure skating in the Pre-Juvenile Girls Excel level, winning first place, and in Synchronized Skating in the Open Juvenile level for Team Rinx, in which her team placed third.

Date Added: 2/11/2022

East Islip High School competed in the boys winter track championships on Feb. 5, finishing in fourth place overall.

Finishing first in high jump, freshman sensation Joseph Norrby led the way by becoming the first athlete in East Islip track history to win a county championship as a ninth grader. Kevin Smith placed second in the 55-meter dash, Matt McIntee placed third in the 300-meter dash, and the 4x200 relay team of Gavin Franco, Joe Magro, McIntee and Smith finished in second place. All five earned All-County honors. In the league championships, Norrby and McIntee finished first and Smith finished second.

Date Added: 2/10/2022

All four of East Islip’s elementary schools collaborated on this year’s “Pick a Reading Partner” activities. The PARP program asks students to find a partner at home to read with for 15 minutes per night over a two-week period and log their reading time by filling in the minutes completed onto a reading calendar.

East Islip’s PARP activities included bookmark contests and a community-wide scavenger hunt. Additionally, students participated in theme days wearing pajamas, razy socks and hair, fun headbands and hats, favorite team jerseys, words with writing on them, EI Pride spirit wear, neon and brightly colored clothing, and tie dye apparel.

“Staff and students had a great deal of fun celebrating the importance of reading,” said Ñî¹óåú´«Ã½ Principal Deborah Smith.

Date Added: 2/8/2022

Five members of East Islip High School’s 2021 county championship football team were recently recognized with All-State honors. Derek Burrell (also named Co-New York State Player of the Year), Leo Lopez and Kevin Smith were named to the first team, Sebastian Regis was named to the third team, and Carson Tessitore was named to the fourth team.

Date Added: 2/7/2022

East Islip High School students completed a Red Watch training session in the school’s Forum on Feb. 4, continuing East Islip’s participation in the program for the past four years. The session focused on being an “upstander not a bystander” as well as covering CPR training and New York State’s 911 Good Samaritan Law.

Red Watch was designed by a Stonybrook University professor who lost her child due to alcohol poisoning. The professor’s child had passed out and died in the middle of a party because everyone thought he was sleeping.

“This program is about knowing signs, and about being active and more than a bystander, not only at parties, but if someone has a heart attack, for example,” said teacher Bridget Lopiccolo.

Date Added: 2/7/2022

Please click here to view registration information and forms for the 2022-23 school year.

Please click here to view a letter from the Superintendent regarding registration.

On Jan. 31, East Islip High School’s girls varsity basketball team celebrated the life of their special friend and fellow East Islip student Carli Fragala, who passed away on Jan. 10.  The team wore pink and gray shooting shirts and held a moment of silence to honor Fragala’s memory. In the ensuing game, the team earned its 10th win in the last 11 games by beating Hauppauge 54-8. Senior guard Jenna Rigo connected on five of six three-pointers on her way to a game-high 15 points. 

Date Added: 2/7/2022

East Islip High School senior Dylann Trahey signed a national letter of intent on Feb. 3 to play soccer for Adelphi University, where she plans to major in education.

Trahey, a center midfielder and striker, has earned numerous accolades during her four years on East Islip’s varsity soccer team, including being named team captain for 2021-22, All-Division in 2022, All-League in 2021 and 2022, Scholar-Athlete for four consecutive years, and Top 100 Long Island Soccer Players for 2021-22. A three-sport athlete, she also competes on East Islip’s basketball and lacrosse teams.

Date Added: 2/7/2022

High school senior Nicholette Brunner signed a national letter of intent on Jan. 27 to play soccer for Dominican College in Orangeburg, where she plans to major in education.

A center and outside defender, Brunner won All-County and MVP recognition in her junior year, and All-State, All-County, Suffolk County Defensive Player of the Year and Top 100 Long Island designation as a senior.

Date Added: 2/2/2022