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.

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.

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.

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.

Deauville Gardens West Elementary School held a family literacy night celebration on March 6 themed “Stomp, Chomp and Read.” Students in grades 3-5 acted like paleontologists and searched for dinosaur fossils in a sand kit and a dinosaur egg kit. They then researched facts about their fossil on Chromebooks. Students in grades K-2 listened to dinosaur stories and made dinosaur puppets. All students received a dinosaur book to take home.

Payton Lewis, a first-grader at Deauville Gardens West Elementary School, was inducted as the Town of Babylon’s youngest junior beautification ambassador. He was recently recognized by Town of Babylon representatives for this achievement and will work with the town on his recycling project, “Payton’s Planet.”

Thirteen Copiague School District students were recognized at the Feb. 11 board of education meeting by members of the Knights of Columbus in the organization annual poster and essay contests.

The poster contest, now in its ninth year, had a record number of entries at 104 from Copiague student-artists. The goal of the contest is to raise awareness about drug and alcohol abuse. The winners, who received certificates and prizes were: Deauville Gardens West: Carolina Acosta-Rivera and Sandavi McCants; Susan E. Wiley: Ivanna Gonzalez Rodriguez; Deauville Gardens East: Kiarisleidy Baez Fabian; Great Neck Road: Jazlyn Batista, Justin Martinez Canas and Rayana Gooden; Copiague Middle School: Jayden Risch, Joseph Risch and Eliud Bonilla. 

Three Copiague Middle School eighth-grade students were presented with certificates and prizes for their essay contest entries. The contest is in its third year and essays are focused on religious freedom. Paulo Gonzalez was the first-place winner. Diana Carbajal placed second and Ari Chervony was named the third-place winner.

Click here to see the school’s participation in the Great Kindness Challenge.