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Spring has sprung at Deauville Gardens East Elementary School and third graders are hard at work honing their literacy and mathematical skills this April. Students in Ms. Masure’s class are working on fraction fun by creating a bulletin board using fraction flowers. Ms. Newman’s class also created a bulletin board to show off their poetic prowess and Ms. Nicolini’s class used board games as a fun way to practice their math skills. In Ms. Byrne’s class, the students recently read the “One and Only Ivan.” Students created posters about the gorilla and shared their work with the fourth graders.
Kindergartners at Great Neck Road Elementary School showed their moms and invited guests just how special they are with Mother’s Day festivities in their respective classrooms. Invited guests were welcomed to Jeanne DeMott’s kindergarten class, where the students shared snacks and showed off their artistic abilities with creative gifts. Students presented their special women with handmade flowers, a photo album and songs about how much they mean to them. Each student then recited a poem in the front of the class about what makes their mother so special. Students in Natalia Brite’s kindergarten class used their writing skills to rework the book “If You Give a Moose a Muffin” to “If You Give a Mom a Muffin.” They presented their books, along with handmade vases, to their guests during a Muffins with Mom tea party.
During the month of May, students and teachers of the Copiague School District will engage in a variety of grade/subject activities designed to explore the world of coding through common themes and inquiries. Below is an outline of some of the program’s initiatives: *Awareness and Inspiration: How does coding impact out world? * Creation and application: How can I learn to code? * Exploration and understanding: What is computer science and coding? * Development and design: What can I create and command with coding? *Perseverance and possibilities: What is our future with coding? Check out our slideshow of coding activities throughout the month below or click here to see additional photos.
Second-graders in Jackie Oquendo’s class at Susan E. Wiley Elementary School are practicing their math fluency in fun ways. The classroom divides into different math centers and rotates through different stations to hone their addition and subtraction skills. In one station, students used dice, the students tested their fluency with math word problems, while another station used popsicle sticks to work on different placement values. Students also played math games using their Chromebooks.
Driver’s education students at Walter G. O’Connell Copiague High School had a hands-on lesson in the dangers of driving under the influence from the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office. The sheriff’s S.T.O.P.P.E.D. program uses simulation driving carts to teach the consequences of driving under the influence of alcohol. Students drove a pedal car through a cone maze while wearing goggles that impair their vision and balance. After the simulated driving portion, students then had to wear the goggles and walk through the maze with a partner, trying to avoid the cones and get home safely.
After learning about the food chain, students in Mrs. Ramstein’s fifth-grade class at Great Neck Road Elementary School got hands-on during a science lesson. The students dissected owl pellets and charted their findings, which included bones and other natural artifacts that helped to tell the story of the owls' habitats and food choices.
Members of the student council at Deauville Gardens West Elementary School spent April doing their part to spread the message of protecting the earth around their school. The student council visited classrooms in kindergarten through second grade to speak to students about the environment. After reading “Pesky Plastic: An Environmental Story,” the fifth-grade members of the student council shared information with the younger students on how they could protect the oceans. The student council members made a poster and crafted a matching game featuring the characters from the book. The game required students to match the animal to the proper food they were supposed to be eating in the ocean and “recycle” the plastics to match up with a recycling bin when they uncovered those cards. Students in grades three through five also participated in an Earth Day project by crafting their own bookmarks for a schoolwide contest.
Prior to their spring recess, first graders at Deauville Gardens West Elementary School went on a math egg hunt to practice their skills. Students worked on place values by matching eggs to their numbers and filling them with the correct number of beads. They also practiced addition, subtraction and word problems themed for the spring holidays.
The varsity club from Walter G. O’Connell Copiague High School attended the AHRC Suffolk’s second annual Polar Splash on April 13 at the Bay Shore Marina. The club raised $200 to donate to the AHRC Suffolk by selling coffee and hot chocolate during parent-teacher conferences. The student-athletes who attended were able to brave the bay in 40 degree temperatures for a good cause.
Eighth-graders at Copiague Middle School are using technology to enhance their social studies lessons. Robert Russell’s eighth grade class recently studied the Holocaust. Using Google classroom, the students were able to take a virtual tour of Auschwitz on their Chromebooks.
Fifth-graders in Jodi Embleton’s art class at Deauville Gardens East Elementary School are creating unique character portraits modeled after the works of contemporary artist Yago Partal. The Barcelona-based artist is known for his work featuring animals in people clothing. The students used a burnishing technique with colored pencils to create their own individual animal portraits.
As part of their study of Native American culture, fourth-graders at Deauville Gardens West Elementary School made their own wampum belts. They learned that the Native Americans made the belts out of white and purple shells and used the wampum as a way to record stories and historic events. After the students were done designing their own unique belts, they created a storytelling group to share their stories.
The third annual Business Olympics were held on April 2 and Walter G. O’Connell Copiague High School business students went head to head for a chance to be named the winning team. Three teams of students competed in this year’s event, which focused on mobile businesses, in front of a panel of more than 15 judges including board of education members, administrators and local business owners. Team Vivacity, Team Mobifuel and Team P.U.S.H. each presented their ideas during a 10-minute pitch. The judges had an opportunity for a question and answer period following the presentation. Each team created a commercial along with supporting marketing and promotional materials. The winning team was Team Vivacity for their mobile spa business. Team members were Aleksandra Bugajczyk, Kriyal Patel, Iris Romero, Abigail Romero and Owen Rosenberg. All of the teams will share more than $3,000 in prizes.
Students in the World Affairs in Foreign Films class at Walter G. O’Connell Copiague High School recently finished watching “Spirited Away,” a Japanese animated film. The class screens different foreign films and then studies the geography, customs, holidays and social issues associated with that country. After viewing “Spirited Away,” the students made origami and tried their skills using chopsticks by picking up marshmallows and M&Ms.
Students in William Jaack’s fifth-grade class at Deauville Gardens West Elementary School are learning about humans and their effects on the earth’s system. They were asked to make posters about whether humans are helping or hurting each of the systems for either the atmosphere, hydrosphere, biosphere or geosphere. They shared their findings with the class.
After completing their science unit on the parts of the plant, fourth-graders at Deauville Gardens East Elementary School participated in a two-day experiment to show the workings of vascular plants. Using stalks of celery, the students placed the plants in colored water to observe the way the celery absorbs water and transports it through its stem. After making their initial hypotheses, the students recorded the changes in the coloration of the celery on day one and day two.
Fifth-graders in Jamie Alpi’s class at Deauville Gardens West Elementary School are learning about the nitrogen cycle. As part of their lessons, students moved around the classroom through a cycle to investigate how nitrogen moves through the environment. Students started at different stations, read the station card and completed an activity sheet. They cycled around the stations until they completed their diagram of the nitrogen cycle.
Walter G. O’Connell Copiague High School held its fourth annual Voice to Voice empowerment session in the school’s library on March 27. The goal of the initiative is to motivate and empower one another through teamwork and conversation. It was developed to provide opportunities for young women to gain awareness of their individual and collective skills, experiences and professional goals. Assistant Principal Tamika Eason welcomed the attendees and introduced the school’s women’s Madrigal Choir, under the direction of Gina Occhiogrosso, who performed “Rise Up.” The theme of this year’s event was resilience as showcased through the guest speaker and the reflective activities. This year’s guest speaker was Walter G. O’Connell Copiague High School speech and language teacher Valarie Williams. Ms. Williams shared her life story and spoke about how resiliency has helped her persevere through some trying life lessons. “My goal is to enlighten, encourage and inspire you with my story,” she said. “I’m sharing my story to show you all that you can overcome every obstacle in your way. You have the power to live your life with resiliency.” After a brief question and answer session, the students worked in teams and reflected on the lessons learned. Each team created a poster board and shared their thoughts in a brief presentation with their peers.
Nine student-artists from Walter G. O’Connell Copiague High School attended the Long Island Media Arts Show at Five Towns College on March 22. Three photos taken by Copiague students – Jaleel Foster, Arianna Tirino and Oleksa Klymovets – were selected as Best in Show.
Copiague Middle School’s studio art students are learning different techniques during their full-year art class. Studio art is an honors course offered to select eighth-grade students. Studio art students gain an advanced knowledge of various art media, skills and techniques. Students have the opportunity to create higher level artwork, explore self-expression through creativity and develop critical thinking skills. This year, students in Travis White’s class have been working on a cityscape project, learning linear perspective, and they recently completed wire art sculptures.
Thirty-six new members from Walter G. O’Connell Copiague High School were inducted into the Isabella M. Driscoll Chapter of the National Honor Society during a ceremony in the school’s auditorium on March 26. Administrators, board of education members, family and friends were on hand to witness the induction ceremony. To be inducted into the National Honor Society, students must exhibit the society’s four pillars: scholarship, leadership, service and character. The four National Honor Society officers – Marvin Pineda Lobo, Faith McCombs, Melinda Mercedes and Abigail Romero – spoke about each of the pillars and their importance. National Junior Honor Society members chose the evening’s guest speaker, Matthew Miles, high school English teacher. “For me, Copiague is more than a school district; this has become my second home,” he said. “I have watched all of you mature from insecure ninth-graders to confident young men and women who are ready to take on the world. The certificate you are about to receive is just a symbol. This certificate symbolizes the four requirements for membership into the National Honor Society in which you have excelled.” Miles spoke about the four pillars and their meaning. “Scholarship is more than straight As and more than the requirement to get into the National Honor Society,” he said. “It is the desire that each of you have to learn more. Leadership is not about being appointed to office. Leadership is an attitude; leaders see progress, not power. Community service gives us a chance to practice altruism and give back to the community that has given us so much. And the true definition of character is what you do when no one is looking.” After each of the newest inductees was called to the stage for recognition, Principal Joseph Agosta led them in the National Honor Society Oath. The district congratulates the following students: Grade 11: Esdras Canales, Vincent Cipriani, Luisiana Colon Sanchez, Destiny Delacruz, Darlene Ferreira, Erhumwunse Eghafona, Carolina Gonzalez, Nolan Johnson, Jaime Kister, Michelle Kumah, Arianna Lipari, Naryman Lounici, Amy Moskowitz, Patrice Noel, Carol Rodriguez, Gianna Torres, Brithney Urena Hiciano and Tamara Washington. Grade 10: Jada Angel, Ryan Bott, Sophia Bright, Anna Carvajal, Eitan Chervony, Brayan Espinal, Jayleen Garcia, Elizabeth Garrovillas, Samantha Gonzalez, Jasmine Jimenez, Sofia Lounici, Yessica Ortiz Max, Zuri Milliner, Edinelly Peguero Rosario, Morgan Weeks, Aniyah Woods, Genesis Yanes and Oktay Yildiz.
It was a morning of community pride, as Copiague Public School hosted its annual Community Summit for more than 600 invited guests on March 16. Among those in attendance included the Copiague Board of Education, district administrators and staff, representatives of community organizations, local politicians and students and their families. “The summit is an opportunity to showcase some of the things that are going on within our schools, celebrate the success we’ve had and collaborate on ways we can make things better,” board of education trustee Brian J. Sales noted in his address. Continuing, Mr. Sales shared a number of the district’s and student accomplishments. “For this board, our administration and staff, our top priority is putting children first. We are extremely proud of our results, we have spent our money wisely and effectively and we have delivered with excellent results.” Echoing Mr. Sales’ message of success, Superintendent of Schools Dr. Kathleen Bannon presented her annual State of the Copiague Public Schools. During her address, Dr. Bannon provided an overview of district highlights, including various student accomplishments, expansion of the pre-K program and the completion of the community-approved capital project. She also provided an update on the budget process and the district’s funding. “Over the last several years, we have stayed within the New York State tax cap,” Dr. Bannon said. “We continue to contain our costs and budget conservatively, so we can maintain the programs and services we have. If we were to see an increase in state aid, we would expand and add to our offerings, which would positively benefit our students. In a perfect world, there would be adequate and equitable funding for public education. Funding which is predictable, transparent and sustainable so that we can plan for the long term rather than year-to-year.” With the theme “Copiague Students Soar,” the summit also featured student performances, spotlights on elementary, middle and high school programs, clubs and projects and an introduction of the Class of 2019 top ten students.