During their virtual meeting on June 15, the Copiague School District’s Board of Education and administrators acknowledged teachers and staff members who will be retiring at the end of the 2019-2020 school year.

Superintendent of Schools Dr. Kathleen Bannon and Board of Education members offered their congratulations to the retirees for their many years of hard work and dedication to the Copiague School District, which account for a total of more than 370 years of service.

Retiring at the end of the school year are: Terri Alzmann, elementary teacher, Susan E. Wiley (34 years); Patricia Bean, cafeteria aide, Copiague Middle School (25 years); Nancy Csorny, elementary teacher, Deauville Gardens East (31 years); Ellen Duffy, office assistant, Walter G. O’Connell Copiague High School (22 years); Jean Marie Fortunato, special education teacher, Walter G. O’Connell Copiague High School (35 years); Minnett Hall, science teacher, Walter G. O’Connell Copiague High School (19 years); Marisa Katz, office assistant, Great Neck Road (13 years); Scott Kelly, groundskeeper (38 years); Diane Lando, reading teacher, Copiague Middle School (24 years); Carole Olsen, health teacher, Walter G. O’Connell Copiague High School (34 years); Linda Paduano, special education teacher, Walter G. O’Connell Copiague High School (34 years); Stamatia Pagiazitis, reading teacher, Copiague Middle School (23 years); Effie Sofos, ESL teacher, Walter G. O’Connell Copiague High School (19 years); and Kathleen Williams, teaching assistant, Susan E. Wiley (21 years).

During the first week of June, the four elementary schools and middle school in the Copiague School District celebrated their students during individual school car parades. The parades celebrated the many successes of the Copiague students, while also giving them a chance to have a proper send-off for the summer months.

Teachers and administrators, dressed in blue and white and showing off their school pride, lined the sidewalks of their respective schools. As the teachers were waving, cheering and holding signs, the cars filled with students lined up down the street to catch a glimpse of their teachers. Students created their own signs, decorated cars and filled them with balloons and banners as they paraded down through the school.

Many of the schools have planned separate parades for their students that are moving on to the middle school and the high school next fall.

Copiague School District’s fine arts department put together an artwork slideshow as a tribute to essential workers. View some of the student artwork here:

Focusing on the home-to-school connection, Copiague School District presented an online Celebration of Wellness for both students and their families beginning on May 15. The resources and activities offered videos that ranged from learning a new skill to mindfulness practices and techniques.

For the elementary students and their families, videos centered around tapping in their energy, learning to relax through mindful minutes and yoga poses, and even learning a new skill, such as American Sign Language.

Copiague Middle School students had the opportunity to learn new ways to channel their energy. A technology lesson gave students some options for gaming, music and communication to escape and destress. Assistant Principal Stephanie Valeiko hosted a reading and crafting session to reduce anxiety. Exercise, also an important component to wellness and a stress reliever, was featured via a Zumba and step class.

Walter G. O’Connell Copiague High School students learned mindful techniques that are helpful in managing stress both during high school and beyond. Lessons, such as journaling and breathing techniques, combined with movement exercises, such as Zumba and yoga, gave the high schoolers different sessions to boost their wellness and reduce anxiety and stress.