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As part of Fleet Week NYC, East Islip’s high school and middle school once again welcomed U.S. Marine Corps Aviation to the district. Two Marine helicopters from New River, North Carolina filled the sky on May 24 and landed with great fanfare on the middle school field, providing fascinated secondary students with an opportunity to talk to the pilots and view the inside of the helicopters. The Corps had previously visited East Islip during Fleet Week for the first time in 2011.

The first helicopter to land was the AH-1W Super Cobra from HMLA-167, with a crew of four Marines, followed by the massive CH-53E Super Stallion out of HMH-366, holding approximately eight Marines and two Corps photographers. Both of these helicopters are exclusive to the Marine Corps, specifically constructed for the organization’s needs. Helicopter landings are performed yearly as part of Fleet Week for community outreach.

“This was a wonderful way to thank our military men and women and to honor all of our military branches as we prepared for Memorial Day,” said Israel Malinowitzer, the district’s director of careers and student services, who helped to arrange the visit with Marine Corps Recruiting Station New York and Staff Sgt. Jason Rodriguez from Marine Corps Recruiting Sub Station Smithtown. “It was a beautiful day, and we are very grateful to our Marines for their service. It gives me great joy to present these types of events that showcase our Marines and the hard work they do every day to protect our country and our freedom.”

The East Islip Athletic Booster Club's 16th annual Redmen Golf Outing will be held on July 12 at Timber Point Country Club. See the attached flier for more information.

In a massive celebration of all things science and technology, the East Islip School District recently hosted its first STEM Night, welcoming more than 200 guests to the East Islip High School to see students from all of the district’s schools promote their work and organizations, including the high school’s and East Islip Middle School’s robotics and STEM Club students, the East Islip National Honor Society, and John F. Kennedy and Ruth C. Kinney elementary schools’ fourth-grade science fair winners, and other fifth-grade elementary STEM students.

Students enrolled in the high school’s Medical & Health Technology Career Academy, AP Capstone program and other scientific research classes showcased the projects they have been working on all year.

Representing East Islip’s K-5 STEM program that began this year, students demonstrated how to build bridges and create towers and skyscrapers with the use of wooden blocks.

The high school’s robotics team members were on hand to show off their newly designed 3D chassis robotic bodies that were created and designed in CAD classes and developed on the 3D printer. Visiting students from all grades were allowed to play with the new robots and learn how to operate them.

Ken White, the operational director of educational management at Brookhaven National Laboratory, served as the keynote speaker.
Additionally, representatives from the East Islip Public Library manned a booth to showcase 3D printing and virtual reality technologies. Students were able to put on the library’s new 3D video viewfinders to virtually visit different places in the world.

“This event was a huge success and the parents and students had a great time learning about STEM and how it will help their children to be successful in their future careers,” said Israel Malinowitzer, East Islip’s technology director, who coordinated the event with Math and Science Director Janet Jones.

“We weren’t really sure if we would have any visitors at our table, but were overwhelmed by the enthusiasm and interest the young people had,” said Jason Terhune of the East Islip Public Library’s computer services department. “We appreciated the opportunity to showcase our public library to the community.”

At the For the Kids Foundation’s 21st annual Black Tie Gala, East Islip administrator Dr. Lisa Belz was honored as Educator Advocate of the Year, and Mary Finn, Cathy Lemon and Suzanne Zembrzycki were honored as Community Advocates of the Year. This year’s “The Castle on the Green”-themed Gala, held on March 17, saw a return to Land's End in Sayville. It is the FTK organization's primary fundraising event to benefit East Islip students, and has donated well over $1 million for educational programs since its formation. 

Belz earned her bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Dowling College, then obtained a master’s degree in liberal studies from Stony Brook University and a professional diploma in school leadership from Dowling. In 2008, she earned a doctorate in education from St. John’s University. She began her educational career as a teacher, spending 14 years in the classroom in the South Country and Brentwood School Districts before being named assistant principal for William Floyd Elementary School in 2002. She joined East Islip two years later as principal of the Early Childhood Center, Connetquot Elementary School and eventually Timber Point Elementary School, which earned a National Blue Ribbon School award during her tenure. In 2014, she became the district’s executive director of special education/pupil personnel services 6-12. She has also served as the vice president, president and current co-president of the East Islip Association of School Administrators; and for a three-year term as a Board of Education trustee for the Bayport-Blue Point School District. Belz and her husband Rob have three sons, Austin, Zachary and Dylan. 

Finn, FTK’s treasurer, was born in Bay Shore and graduated from Brentwood High School. After earning master’s degrees from Hofstra University in audiology and speech-language pathology, she embarked on a career as an audiologist and cochlear implant specialist at Mount Sinai Hospital. She currently holds a private audiology practice and teaches the field as a professor at Hofstra. Finn has volunteered with FTK for 13 years, including stints as John F. Kennedy Elementary School representative and FTK Carnival chair, and served as recording secretary for East Islip’s PTA Council. She and her husband Bobby have two children, Jillian (a 2017 East Islip graduate) and East Islip Middle School eighth-grader Bobby.

Lemon, who was unable to attend the Gala, is a member of the FTK Board of Directors and longtime advocate for volunteer work since her days growing up in Hawaii. She owns the local business Tire Express with husband Robert Lemon, with whom she has three children, Gabrielle, Bobby and Olivia. Lemon also donates her efforts to the Islip Breast Cancer Coalition and Poppy’s Angels.

Zembrzycki, a West Islip native and Farmingdale College alumna, operates Yellow Dog Lawn Care with her husband Jim. She has resided in East Islip for 19 years, and has a long history of community service. Zembrzycki has been a member of FTK’s Board of Directors since 2011, and serves as its secretary. She has two children, Kayla (a 2017 East Islip graduate) and current high school freshman Tyler.

“Congratulations to all of our amazing honorees, four women who have contributed so much to the success of FTK,” said President Pat Blair. “We are grateful for our community that supports FTK and continues to do so after 21 years. Here’s to 21 more!”

Middle school students in the Cleary School for the Deaf program, along with students in school librarian Valerie Ware’s Master Readers Book Discussion Club, recently took a trip to the Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center to see a production of “The Lightning Thief,” a musical based on Rick Riordan’s beloved Percy Jackson book.

The high school and middle school will be hosting the U.S. Marine Corps on Thursday, May 24 as part of Fleet Week. Three helicopters will be landing on the middle school field at 11:40 a.m., and students from the middle and high school will have an opportunity to talk to the pilots and see the inside of the helicopters. 

Four East Islip fifth-graders –Ñî¹óåú´«Ã½’s Ryan Flad and Erin McCarthy, and RCK’s Thomas Costarelli and Kara Marshall – recently earned the annual Physical Education Leadership award from the Suffolk Zone Chapter of the New York State Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance. Also recognized were East Islip Middle School eighth graders Anthony Agresta, Anthony Kohler and Joy Peterson. The seven students were honored at the NYS AHPERD awards ceremony, held on May 2 at Bay Shore Middle School.

“These students are leaders in the classroom and have the necessary knowledge to establish and maintain an active lifestyle,” said Stephen Restivo, director of health, physical education and athletics. “They understand how physical education can enhance their performance both in the classroom and in the gymnasium as well. Congratulations to all of our award recipients.”

RCK student Kate Vessalico earned an honorable mention award at the Brookhaven National Laboratory Elementary School Science Fair on May 5. For the fourth-grader’s “All Ants Away” research project about ants and their senses, Vessalico worked to determine how ants react to different scents, colors and inks. In the end, she concluded that peppermint oil worked best at keeping pesky ants away from human living spaces.

Please be reminded that school will be open on May 25 and May 29. The only day school is closed is Monday, May 28 for Memorial Day.

High school seniors donned formal wear for their turn on the runway at the school’s recent Fashion Show. The colorful event is sponsored annually by the Students Against Destructive Decisions club and PTSA to raise money for SADD and its worthwhile programs and scholarship.

The school’s teachers and numerous local businesses partnered with the PTSA and SADD to donate to raffle baskets. Cosmetology professionals Stephanie Domingo, Brynn Hlinko and Barbara Lhotan donated their services to do hair and makeup for the female models, RSVP Tuxedos of Bay Shore provided tuxes for the male models, and East Islip alumnus Joe Kiesel served as DJ.

“What a wonderful night this was,” said SADD adviser Bridget Lopiccolo. “The students really rocked the ‘red carpet’ for a great cause. Special thanks to the PTSA for all their support and to the teachers for really helping to make this event a great success.”

As part of participation in Police Week, students from the high school’s career development occupational studies class visited Suffolk County Police Headquarters in Yaphank on May 7. During the event, officers demonstrated the many facets of the department, including the bomb squad, marine bureau, and emergency service, crime scene, K9, COPE and aviation units. The gave a tour of the police museum and 911 call center, and discussed issues such as seatbelt safety, traffic stops and how to become a police officer.

“What a terrific day for our students this was,” said CDOS teacher Bridget Lopiccolo. “It was perfect for students exploring careers, because they were able to directly ask important questions about being a police officer. The students also gained knowledge about how to help the police in an emergency situation. It is delightful to see that the SCPD is opening its doors to young people to learn about the law enforcement field.”

Each student in Greg Kguloian’s freshman global history class was recently given the opportunity to join intellectual forces with three other classmates to do research on a “reach and teach assignment” on one of six classical civilizations: the Persian Empire, ancient Greek city-states, the Mauryan Empire, the Gupta Empire, the Qin Dynasty and the Han Dynasty.

The ninth-graders were encouraged to use classroom textbooks, the internet and other reputable resources to gain information, put it into an interesting format and prepare audiovisual presentations. The groups of four were then asked to teach their “lesson” the way they would want to be taught. A peer-interactive question-and-answer session at the end of each presentation served to not only find out what the students learned, but also to allow the students teaching the lesson to determine how effective their lesson was via instantaneous feedback.

“I was most impressed with how each person in our classroom respectfully paid attention to their fellow students as they gave reports on their given classical civilization, took notes and asked appropriate questions,” said Kguloian. “I am extremely proud of the way they all helped each other to learn more. Our young people today deserve to be given the tools to be better potential leaders tomorrow.”

A terrific year of career exploration and mentoring opportunities, developed for the high school’s Student Career Connection program by the East Islip School-Business Partnership, has wound down.

The Catch-a-Career Breakfast, the first event in the year-round careers program, was held on Nov. 1 at the Irish Coffee Pub. It provided a crucial forum for students to discuss their career plans with business professionals representing their personal career interest areas. The participants gained insight on current trends, specific skills, and the academic or vocational programs that will help the students prepare for success in their intended career field. A total of 71 students attended, networking with 44 table facilitators representing more than 30 career fields including medical and healthcare, business and finance, law and law enforcement, journalism, media, politics, education, engineering, environmental sciences, and information technology.

East Islip alumna Veronica Pasha, a Class of 2011 graduate and registered nurse at New York-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center, served as the keynote speaker. Pasha spoke about her journey into nursing and acknowledged her family and teachers who helped guide her to a rewarding career.

“Veronica’s inspirational words echoed the importance of seeking advice from others when pursuing a career,” said teacher and School-Business Partnership coordinator Paul McHugh. “Student interaction was excellent, and there was a lot of energy in the room.”

The next step was the Mentor Me program, now in its 18th year of providing students with hands-on experiences in career fields they wish to pursue after high school. It began with the Meet My Mentor Breakfast on Nov. 29, where the high schoolers made their first contacts with experienced professional mentors, who guided the students into the business world. Participating mentor organizations and individuals included Bideawee, Country Village Florist and Gifts, attorney Jodi Ann Donato, The Electrical Training Center, architect Joseph Gabriel, Glen Head Country Club, JVC Broadcasting, dentist Raymond Mascolo, Northwell Health, St. Francis Hospital, Signature Bank, the Suffolk County Police Department, Suffolk Transportation, the Town of Islip and Zebra Technologies. Each student then began to exchange emails with their selected mentor and were given the opportunity to “shadow” the mentor for a full day in 2018, enabling them to see what it is like to work in that career field.

“This worthwhile program is a must for students, as it opens their eyes to what their future will look like,” said teacher Bridget Lopiccolo, the coordinator of the Mentor Me program. “It is truly remarkable to see the students as they light up and feel the passion of the career that they want to pursue.”

“I would like to extend thanks to all the career professionals who offered their time and experience during this school year to help our students in preparation for college and career success,” said McHugh. “Thanks also to the district and high school administrators for their continued support.”

The East Islip School District's 2018-2019 budget passed on May 15, with 1,873 yes votes outweighing the 933 no votes. The district thanks the community for their participation and support.

East Islip voters also approved the ballot proposition for a capital improvement bond by a total of 1,680 yes votes to 1,116 no votes.

For East Islip's five-person Board of Education, voters reelected two incumbents, Board President Jessica Carney (1,852 votes) and Vice President Philip Montuori Sr. (1,704 votes), both running unopposed.

 

Attachments: Click to read letter from Superintendent Dolan

Remember to come out and vote today so we can make the best decision for the future of East Islip. Whatever the voters decide, we will work hard to build that vision first thing Wednesday morn.

Please tell a friend to tell a friend to vote!

Sincerely,
John V. Dolan
Superintendent of Schools

Attachments: Click to view message

Please contact the superintendent’s office to schedule an appointment after reading below.

We are looking to clean up East Islip and provide our students with a positive way to do community service.

In conjunction with Keep Islip Clean, if you are a community organization, civic association, team or a group of neighbors interested in doing a cleanup, please call the superintendent’s office at 631-224-2010. We would love to concentrate on the exit and entry ramps of the main thoroughfares into the community. This is a great way to exercise while we provide good community service opportunities for our children.

Landon Sambo, a fourth-grader at Ñî¹óåú´«Ã½, received an honorable mention award at the Brookhaven National Laboratory Elementary School Science Fair on May 5. Sambo’s research project, titled “’C’ for Yourself,” sought to determine which fruit juice had the most vitamin C.

“We are all proud of Landon and the work he put in to this incredible project,” said Principal Deborah Smith.

Third-graders at RCK recently took visiting friends and family members on a journey through time, transforming the school into a wax museum. Each student researched the life of a chosen historical figure and recited information in the role of their figure, demonstrating the knowledge they had gained.

“The students amazed me with the research they collected and the speeches they created,” said Principal Hillary Bromberg. “Some of the students really remained true to character and stayed ‘frozen’ until someone walked by and pushed the button.”

 

The Board of Education will hold a business meeting and budget hearing on Tuesday, May 8 at 8 p.m. at 1 Craig B. Gariepy Ave. in Islip Terrace.

See below for a complete list of Board meetings for the 2017-2018 school year

 

Attachments: Click for BOE meeting schedule

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Amanda Kreush, a star senior bowler for the high school, signed a national letter of intent on May 4 to play for Molloy College in Rockville Centre his fall. She plans to major in early childhood education while bowling for the Lions.

Kreush, who joined the varsity team as a seventh-grader and served as captain of the Lady Redmen during her junior and senior years, had a remarkable career at East Islip. During her tenure, the team went undefeated as league champions for six consecutive years as well as winning state and county championships. Kreush won the Section XI sportsmanship award twice, and earned All-County, All-League, Scholar-Athlete and Minds in Motion recognition. Her academic honors include three years as secretary of the Class of 2018 and membership in the National Honor Society and Foreign Language Honor Society.

East Islip will hold a Relay for Life celebration on Saturday, May 12 from 5-11 p.m. at the high school track. Northwell Hospital will be providing financial support as well as providing food and refreshments. Relay for Life is an organization celebrating cancer survivors, and all proceeds from Relay for Life events are donated to cancer research.

Additionally, East Islip Relay for Life will hold a group outing to a Duck baseball game on Wednesday, May 16.

Please see the attached fliers for further information on the event and numerous ways to volunteer and get involved.

Attachments:

• Click for Ducks game flier
• Click for main flier
• Click for cookbook fundraiser
• Click for luminaria ceremony slide presentation
• Click for Purple Ribbon Birthday Cake Teachers Challenge
• Click for Road to Recovery car show and race
• Click for song form
• Click for survivor lap song
• Click for volunteer tree

A group of talented high school student-artists were chosen for display in the 15th annual 12x12 High School Art Exhibition, held from May 7-16. Sponsored by LIU Post, the competition asks students to create works of art that are 12 inches wide by 12 inches high.

Chosen students included Caitlin Breitenbecker, Kaylin Cuba, Julia Lambert, Christopher Palmer, Gia Piazza and Alicia Rodriguez for photography; and Eliza Channing, Hailee Cornell, Sabine Gebhard and Kevin Mesa for electronic illustration.

“I’ve never had my artwork shown in a college exhibit, and it’s an honor,” said Mesa.

“The students selected for this exhibit have such excellent pieces, and I am so proud of their artwork,” said teacher Heather Toomey. “It is such a wonderful opportunity that LIU Post provides, exhibiting high school students in their gallery space.”

Dear Parents, Staff & Residents:

I would like to remind everyone that there a Public Forum on the capital bond project will be held this evening, Wednesday, May 2, at 7:30 p.m. in the ECC cafeteria. Fiscal advisers and H2M architects will be making presentations. There will also be a question-and-answer period. Community members will be asked to write questions on the index cards that will be provided at the beginning of the meeting. We look forward to seeing you all tonight.

Sincerely,
John V. Dolan

The high school’s Italian-language students recently enjoyed a three-part field trip celebrating the language and culture of Italy, beginning with a visit to Caffe Italia in Deer Park to taste fresh gelato. The students tasted a wide variety of gelato flavors as well as biscotti, pastries and cappuccino.

“It was like we were in Italy,” said Emily Gerde, one of several language teachers accompanying the students. “It is the most delicious and fresh gelato you will taste on Long Island.”

The next stop was the Jamaica Performing Arts Center in Queens, where the students took in an interactive performance by Incanto Productions, sponsored by the Italian American Committee on Education. The interactive show, “I Sette Mondi,” incorporated dancing, trapeze artists, and spoken and sung Italian, with audience participation geared toward different levels of language learners.

The day was completed with a trip to Heckscher Park in Huntington, where the students ate lunch and enjoyed the beautiful setting.

The East Islip Teaching Assistants Scholarship fundraiser will be held on Thursday, May 17 from 7-9 p.m. The venue is Riley Fibbers, located at 148 Carleton Avenue in East Islip.

Michael Raguseo, a sixth-grader at the middle school, was recently chosen as the winner of the “Storyworks Magazine” creative writing contest sponsored by Scholastic.

Teacher Dawn Zeffiro had entered students in her class into the contest, which was based on the nonfiction LiLou story “Why Is This Pig at the Airport?” The students were required to use adjectives, nouns and an idiom from the story to create an original creative writing piece. Raguseo’s entry, “The Scary Night,” was chosen as the winner, and he received a congratulatory letter and prize from “Storyworks.” 

“My students put forth great effort into this creative assignment activity,” said Zeffiro, “and all of us were extremely excited to know that Michael’s creativity and outstanding effort was recognized by the Storyworks staff.”