The District News - Center Moriches School District

The District News
The Newspaper of the Center Moriches School District
Volume 21 Number 1
Capital
Project
Presentation
December 2, 2014 at 7:00 pm
High School Auditorium
Additional meeting info
in our next publication!
Featured
Articles
Community
Garden
Page 2&3
Homecoming
Hall of Fame
Page 4
Winter Sports
Schedules
Page 10-11
Instruments
Needed!
Page 12
9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.
at Clayton Huey
www.cmschools.org
November 2014
Board Schedules Facility Improvement Vote for December 9
Unanimous Board Support for Community Facilities Committee Recommendations
For the past two years, extensive
study of our school facilities has been
undertaken. With the assistance of the
district’s architect, a sizable group of
community residents participated on
a facilities committee to analyze the
challenges posed by our school facilities to our programs and investigate
solutions.
This community facilities committee packaged a series of recommendations into a proposed bond issue with two propositions, which was
unanimously supported by the Board
of Education. The first proposition addresses all of the infrastructure and
health/safety items identified in our
schools, along with improvement and
expansion of instructional space and
the resurfacing of the high school tennis courts. The second proposition
calls for the installation of a synthetic
athletic field at the high school and
addresses safety and health concerns
raised with regard to such a field. A
referendum will be held on Tuesday,
December 9.
The Board of Education believes the proposed facilities improvements will help preserve the integrity
of our school buildings, address long
overdue repairs and improve instructional resources, while the new athletic surface will enable our students
and community to better utilize our
current varsity field.
Let’s examine the proposed
improvements to each building:
At Clayton Huey Elementary
School: The original school facility
of the district – interior reconstruction will take place to create better,
more efficient instructional spaces
that are age appropriate. Walls will
be removed that currently separate
three small classrooms to create two
larger classrooms. Other instructional
space improvements will occur in the
science lab, AIS (Academic Intervention Services), Speech, OT/PT, Computer rooms, and similar spaces. “At
the elementary level, it’s really about
‘right-sizing’ our current instructional
spaces,” said Superintendent Russell
Stewart. “We aren’t adding any new
classrooms, but we are making better
use of what we have.”
Numerous infrastructure and
health/safety improvements will be
made to the building, including an
entirely new septic system, bathroom
and plumbing renovations in an ADA
compliant manner, replacement of interior doors and hardware, new roofing, and masonry and the concrete
portico will be repaired. Window
replacement, floor replacement, and
heating/ventilation improvements on
an as needed basis will also be addressed. “The Clayton Huey facility
is in dire need of renovation and the
work that is being done will give students, teachers and the community a
building of which to be proud” said
Kathy Rasso, Clayton Huey teacher
and community resident.
At the Middle School/High School:
Our secondary campus is operating
at nearly 100% capacity, which has
had an impact on the quality of the
instructional space. Existing science
labs are drastically outdated and undersized and general classroom space
is lacking. To address these issues,
the facilities committee has suggested
the construction of a new Science and
Technology Classroom Wing on the
north side of the school adjacent to the
tennis courts.
Construction of this one-story
wing, will allow for the conversion
of existing science labs into general
purpose and special education classrooms, along with an upgrade of the
remaining two science labs. “It’s really about creating an environment
that facilitates our students’ exposure
to STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) resources at a higher level,” said Mr. Stewart. “This will
give us additional specific space that
better fits the needs of a cutting edge
curriculum.”
Mrs. Soto, Science Chairperson
and community resident, noted that
“State-of-the-art” science rooms will
help us teach to an ever more challenging curriculum and better position our kids for college and beyond.”
Similar to the elementary
school, the middle school will undergo reconstruction and renovations
of seven distinct classrooms to permit
better alignment with our current instructional challenges.
Infrastructure improvements at
the middle school/high school will
focus on a partial roof replacement;
installation of interior door hardware;
tennis court renovation and auditorium air conditioning.
“In the case of both facilities,
the natural lifespan of some of our
building systems have been exceeded,” said John Allen, Assistant to the
Superintendent. “The combination of
age and wear and tear has prompted
us to identify areas for attention that
will result in modest changes to instructional environments, building
integrity, and modifications to athletic resources for our students and the
community.”
The cost of this first proposition is expected to be approximately
$18.85 million, which would be funded through a tax-exempt bond. The
tax impact for an average home in
the Center Moriches School District
(a home with an assessed value of
$2,700) will be $189.68 per year.
A second proposition calls for
replacement of the existing grass stadium field at the high school with a
synthetic turf. The use of our fields
by both the school district run sports
programs and the community programs is extraordinary. The facilities
committee recommended conversion
of the main field to a synthetic turf
product to ensure that this ongoing
use will not compromise the quality
of the playing surface, along with giving a greater number of students and
community members the ability to
play on a high quality surface. A synthetic turf field will also permit usage
in varying weather conditions.
This
proposition,
totaling
Continued on Page 11
Center Moriches UFSD
529 Main Street
Center Moriches, New York 11934
*****ECRWSS**
POSTAL PATRON
Non-Profit Organization
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2
November 2014
The District News
Suffolk Zone of New York State Association for Health, Physical Education (PE), Recreation, and Dance awarded Clayton Huey a $750
mini- grant for the 2014-15 school year. We decided to write a grant to attain flexibility bands
for elementary PE strength and conditioning exercises.
In October, we received 32 flex bands of
various tensions suited for primary and intermediate students. Using these bands with exercise
techniques will fit right in with various fitness
stations, static stretches, core, and the upper
body workouts students engage in all year long.
Resistance tubes add a new dimension to
versatility in fitness, as they can be anchored and
stretched at angles not achieved by weights.
The Ultra Fit Circuit Pro we received in our
grant is tailored for PE classes with easy-to-follow instructions. A prerequisite to the mini grant
is a commitment to Suffolk Zone to report the
positive effects from using the equipment with
our students, and to present this information at
a PE conference held at Sachem High School
North on November 4th. This was an exciting
opportunity to not only speak about the minigrant, but also to present all the fun and exciting
activities we do at Clayton Huey.
In addition to the mini-grant award, Clayton Huey has also partnered with the PTA to purchase Cup Stackers. This fantastic hand-eye coordination activity was introduced to us recently
at our homecoming pep rally by fifth grader
Liam McGovern. We also look forward to incorporating cup-stacking techniques with simple
The District News
The Newspaper of the Center Moriches School District
By: Eric Slifstein, Physical Education Teacher
classroom
math principles.
Off
and running
in
PE,
anticipating
our major events ahead such as Jump Rope For Heart,
Hoops For Heart, Field Day, Rock Wall Rotations, Family Fun Night, Wii Just Dance Unit,
Scooter Town, Tennis Academy, and much more.
The emphasis on movement, exercise, and learning cannot be at a higher level in today’s society.
The more children can move, the better they can
learn.
Floral Beauty
at the Community Garden
By: Kerri, AP Art Student
Board of Education
Mr. Joshua Foster, President
Dr. Kristen Turnow-Heintz, Vice President
Mr. Thomas R. Hogan, Trustee
Mrs. Wendy R. Turkington, Trustee
Mr. Gary Unger, Trustee
Mrs. Patricia A. Galietta, District Clerk
Ms. Diane M. Smith, District Treasurer
Administration
Mr. Russell J. Stewart, Superintendent
Ms. Carol M. Perkins CPA, School Business Official
Mr. John W. Allen, Assistant to the Superintendent
Mr. Ricardo Soto, Director of Pupil Services
Mr. Jeremy Thode, Director of Health, Physical
Education, Business, Fine & Applied Arts
and Athletics
Mr. Edward Casswell, High School Principal
Mrs. Melissa Bates, Middle School Principal
Mrs. Kim Hardwick, Elementary School Principal
Contact
Center Moriches
Union Free School District
529 Main Street
Center Moriches, NY 11934
Tel: (631) 878-0052
Fax: (631) 878-4326
Editors-in-Chief
Mr. Russell J. Stewart
Mr. John W. Allen
Layout Design
Starboard Media, Inc.
www.cmschools.org
As part of the requirements for
A.P. Art, Mrs. Graf meets with her
class several times during summer
vacation. One of those meetings took
place at the Clayton Huey Elementary
School, where we painted murals by the
Community Garden.
For a few hours, we painted floral
scenery along the sides of the shed located in the garden in order to make the area
more inviting.
Alexandra Kazanecki painted beau-
tiful echinacea flowers and Sarah Ferrante created a cheerful sunflower. Monica
Fortsch and I worked together in designing some sunflowers as well as adding
some pink butterflies to the mix.
Although already more revitalized,
the garden area is still in need of more artistic inspiration, so we intend to return to
continue our work.
November 2014
3
The District News
Second Gr ade Takes a Step Back in Time
By: Ms. Kingston and Mrs. Bennardo, Second Grade Teachers
To further enhance our
studies of the past, second grade
students of visited the Museums
at Stony Brook. The students
“took a step back in time” while
visiting the one-room schoolhouse. While at the schoolhouse,
the students completed activities
similar to those of the students
who sat in the very same desks
in 1880.
“I liked writing on the
slate and doing math, but it was
different math than we do now,”
commented one of our students.
The children also experienced many of the chores children had to do long ago. “My favorite thing was tossing the hay so that it
would dry,” said William VanOverbeck. Using the scythe to cut the grass
was Mary Falco’s favorite chore.
After returning to school and the 21st century, our students wrote com-
parisons of school in the 1880s and school today. The hands-on experiences the children had during this trip gave them a better understanding
of life in the past, and how technology has changed our lives and lifestyles.
Bountiful Community Garden Patch
By: Danielle Dench, PTA Member
I was fortunate to participate in the Center Moriches
PTA’s Inaugural Center Moriches
Community Garden Patch in two
different capacities. I split a garden bed with a friend and fellow
PTA member. Our personal garden grew zucchini, cucumbers,
eggplant, tomatoes, radishes and
peppers. Did I mention the zucchini? If anyone needs to know
how to prepare zucchini 100
ways, I’m your girl!
I also coordinated and
maintained an entire garden bed
with our Girl Scout troop. The
garden was chock full of snap
peas, cucumbers, zucchini, egg-
plant, peppers, and tomatoes,
which were all donated. I generated a schedule for the girls to
provide support throughout the
season. They planted, weeded,
harvested, and mulched. They
logged their time and weighed the
produce with the scales donated
from the Cornell Cooperative Extension. I had the girls drop off
whatever was picked to me twice
a week.
We donated to local food
pantries such as St. John’s and
Lamb’s Chapel. We even had a
parent donate to the Lighthouse
Mission. The volunteers at the
pantries were extremely grate-
ful, as well as impressed with
the size of our donations. At the
peak of the season, I believe we
donated 43 pounds of produce to
St. John’s food pantry from only
one week’s harvest!
Together we have logged in
over 3,766 minutes of gardening
time, harvested 729.75 pounds
of delicious
vegetables,
and donated
446 pounds
of produce to
the local food
pantries!
This garden was truly
a phenomenal experience. I was
once again reminded of how fantastic our community really is.
Our small village of gardeners
achieved such wonderful things...
making our community an even
BETTER place. I look forward to
continuing with the Community
Garden Patch year after to year!
4
The District News
Homecoming 2014
November 2014
By: Jeremy Thode
Homecoming 2014 was a memorable one. Homecoming 2014 was a
nostalgic one. Homecoming 2014 was
a special one.
The Class of 2014 Athletic Hall
of Fame was inducted on September 20th prior to the Varsity Football
game. The Hall of Fame induction
ceremony was filled with over 120
family members, community members, school district staff, and our Hall
of Famers (pictured):
John Ward Adams 1985
Norman Bell 1967
Larry Gualtieri 1972
Stan Hartman 1965
Tracie Lukert 2001
Donald Perrier 1959
Marty Richter 1972
The 1954-55 Basketball/Soccer/
Baseball team
At halftime, Hall of Fame inductees were honored. In photo, from left to right:Superintendent Russ Stewart, John Ward Adams, Larry Gualtieri, HS Principal Ed Casswell, Norman Bell, MS Principal Melissa
Bates, Stan Hartman, Varsity Girls Soccer Head Coach Sara Sullivan, Marty Richter, Varsity Girls Assistant Coach Nicole Novello, Don Perrier, Varsity Boys Soccer Head Coach Chris Obrien, and Senior
Cheerleader Marisa Tache.
Highlights included the National
Anthem, performed by senior Marisa
Tache, with welcoming remarks and
congratulations by Board of Education President Joshua Foster. Introductions by Howie Heckman, Jr. and
the presentation of the awards by our
student-athletes who included 8th
grader Anna Ricci, 9th grader Ryan
Magill, 10th grader Paige Volkmann,
12th grader Sarah Volkmann, and
12th grader Megan Ricci.
During halftime, the inductees each made acceptance speeches.
As they were ushered onto the field
by Center Moriches staff, they received an overwhelming ovation.
Marisa Tache stunned the honorees
and crowd with a beautiful rendition
of “Stand By Me”. Our Hall of Famers’ plaques can be viewed in the high Hall of Fame inductees, left to right: Larry Gualtieri, Don Perrier, Ryan Magill, Stan Hartman, Anna
school athletic wing. Congratulations Ricci, Norman Bell, Sarah Volkmann, John Ward Adams, Megan Ricci, and Marty Richter (not pictured
Paige Volkmann).
to the Class of 2014.
Apple & Autumn Observations
By: Danielle Sirico
Clayton Huey’s kindergartners kicked off another school year diving deep into Engage NY’s Domains. Our first unit of study is ‘Seasons and Weather.’ Through their pen
pal, named Annie, from Washington, D.C., the children listened to daily letters that teach
them about the four seasons in cyclical order, as experienced in the U.S. They can name
and characterize each season.
What better way to deepen their understanding of the seasons than to visit an apple
orchard? The children visited Wickham’s Farm in Cutchogue, and directly observed the
changes of the apple tree and learned more about autumn’s harvest through a hands-on approach. The experience also included a visit to a real working bee hive and pumpkin patch.
This was a great extension to our unit of study. The children enriched their connections of
the gradual changes that occur on farms throughout the seasons.
November 2014
5
The District News
Third Graders Take A Journey Back in Time
By: Kathleen Russo, Third Grade Teacher
A huge thank you goes out
to all of the volunteers at the Ketcham Inn. On October 10th, Clayton Huey’s third graders enjoyed a
journey back in time.
Bert Seides, President of
the Ketcham Inn Foundation, first
came to our school and shared
some of Center Moriches’ history
through stories and pictures. Then
our students enjoyed a walking field
trip down Main Street to see some
of the historical houses and buildings. We arrived at the Ketcham Inn
where Bert and his staff of volunteers shared life in colonial times.
The children traveled through
stations learning about herbs and
Something’s Fishy
at the Middle School
Mrs. DiMeo-Bridgwood’s sixth grade classes created artwork inspired
by marine life. Students discussed different species that live under the sea
and then chose one to draw. These works of art were created with pencil,
watercolor, and Sharpie marker. It was a lot of fun!
gardening, pottery, schooling, hunting and gathering, basket making,
sewing, and the Native Americans
that inhabited Long Island. The
children also enjoyed a scavenger
hunt in the Book Barn.
6
November 2014
The District News
Center Moriches UFSD Universal Pre-K Program
at Starbright Children‛s Center
On September 3, as all of the students entered the school on their first day of Pre-K, there
was so much excitement in the air! Miss Sherri
Mansfield and Miss Danielle Hand and their Assistants were ready and raring to go!
We are very proud to report that the children are all doing amazingly well. The students
who range in age from three to four years old,
are all flourishing in each center of the school.
If you ask the students their favorite part of the
school day, most will say it is playtime on the
playground, but some will also say it is circle
time, or show and tell, or Fun Friday (aka treasure box day.) From free play to circle time to
ELA to library to art to playground, the children
have transitioned unbelievably well. There are
smiling faces all around!
On October 7, Starbright Children’s Center
went to Fink’s Family Farm to go pumpkin picking as well as going on a tractor ride, participating in a pumpkin toss, visiting with the farm
animals, or having a jump in the bounce house
or in the corn kernel house.
It is Starbright’s great honor to partner
with the Center Moriches School District and
our community to provide a Universal Pre-Kindergarten program that is accessible to all families.
Chris O’Brien & Eric Bielski
Win
200th Career
Soccer Game
The Varsity Boys Soccer team beat Hampton Bays 2-0 on September 19 to give Coaches
Chris Obrien and Eric Bileski their 200th career
win at Center Moriches. Eighteen years of talented players and countless hours of hard work
and dedication have made 200 wins possible.
The team finished another impressive season
with a 14-4 record.
In photo, from left to right: volunteer
coach Sonny Saguto, JV Coach Mike Russo,
Varsity Head Coach Chris O’brien, and Varsity
Assistant Coach Eric Bielski.
By: Heather Dawley and Colleen Hanzl - Student Council Co-Advisors
The Clayton Huey Elementary Student
Council, along with the help of many wonderful parent volunteers, have been selling
T-shirts for an amazing cause - one of our
very special first graders, Morgan Leary.
The “United by Morgan” T-shirts continue to be sold to help Morgan and her family during this difficult time in their lives.
To show how much we care we have
begun Morgan Mondays. Each Monday,
Clayton Huey children, teachers, and administrators can be seen wearing their Tshirts to show their support. This is a beautiful cause that illustrates how much we care
about one another in our Clayton Huey Family.
November 2014
7
The District News
Teaching Responsibility - Collaboration Between
Classes
By: Mrs. Plush, Mr. Scott, and Mr. Voelger
The Middle School
Physical Education and
Social Studies Department recently collaborated on a cross curricular
“Unit for Soccer.”
Students were assigned specific countries
for a culminating World
Cup Tournament. Each
individual was responsible for creating a travel
brochure for a soccer family traveling the world.
They researched soccer
and other details from the
country assigned in order
to grab the interest of the
family.
We wanted to
give the students the opportunity to not only
obtain proficient soccer
skills but to also include
knowledge of the country
in which they were playing for. Giving students
the responsibility to research the origin of soccer in their country, how
it affects the life of its citizens, and how it became
popular today is a great
way to give meaning to
their sport. We would like
to continue to collaborate
with Social Studies and
other departments in the
future, it was a great experience!
Politics & Government - “We the People”
At the High School
This fall, Center Moriches High school hosted a number of
government officials as part of the new “State and Local Politics
and Government” course taught by Mr. Schiavoni in the 12th
grade curriculum. Students have the opportunity to earn three
credits from Suffolk County Community College by successfully
completing the coursework.
In September, Assistant District Attorney, Brad Magill,
shared an in-depth look inside the criminal justice system and
the prosecution of crimes as part of the Executive branch of state
government. This included explanations of the law and examples
of important and/or memorable cases.
In October, the High School welcomed
two life-long public servants. New York State
(NYS) Assemblyman, Fred Thiele, spoke to
students about how laws are enacted in Albany
and shared his insight into the legislative process
gained as the legislator from
the 2nd NYS Assembly District
since 1995. Brookhaven Town
Supervisor, Ed Romaine, addressed classes
about town governments in NYS. Supervisor
Romaine is a resident of Center Moriches and
has held a number of elected positions in his career in public service.
In November, as part of the unit on County Governments
of NYS and Suffolk County, we welcomed County Legislator, Al
Krupski. Legislator Krupski represents the 1st Legislative District in Suffolk County, which extends from Fishers Island down
the North Fork to Center Moriches. Krupski is from Southold
and was a Town Councilman there.
In these expert presentations students questioned speakers
in an intimate setting and heard first-hand from those directly
involved in the various levels of governments which are being
taught in this new course. Pleased with this learning opportunity, Principle Ed Caswell said, “Students are being provided with
authentic learning opportunities in this new course. This will
strengthen their civic knowledge and open doors of opportunity.”
At the Middle School:
Students Take Charge in Government
During election season, we get to
see government on a very local level.
The 2014-2015 Center Moriches Middle
School Student Council is off and running.
Led by class advisors, Mrs. Teresa
Horoszewski (grade 8), Mrs. Susan Lang
(grade 7), and Mr. Christopher O’Brien
and Mrs. Beatrice Foster (grade 6), each
grade held its elections.
In October, many students campaigned for class officer positions. From
president, vice-president, secretary, and
treasurer, candidates ramped up their
campaigns and ran for selected offices.
They created informative posters which
were hung in the hallways, gave speeches, and showed that the democratic process was alive and well in the middle
school.
After each grade level elected its
class officers, we had our first schoolwide student council meeting on October 20 to lay out our agenda for the year.
The eighth grade elected officers hold
the respective seats for the entire middle
school student body. For the 2014-2015
school year, our officers are President,
Alex Hermsdorf, Vice-President, Kyle
Kochanskyj, Secretary, Sabrina Scuria,
and Treasurer, Skylar Pemberton.
Along with the 12 elected officers
from grades six, seven, and eight, we
welcome all students who are interested
in joining student council. We had a total
of 18 students at our first meeting who
all wanted to have a voice in what happens in our school. It was exciting to see
so many students come out to want to be
a part of their student government.
A few items that were presented
at our first meeting included creating a
slogan for the student council, our upcoming school wide food drive, student
involvement in our town hall meetings,
creating a platform for staff appreciation, as well as getting students involved
in our Middle School Site-Based Team
Committee.
A main focal point of our meeting
was having our members listen to all
input from the student body, along with
the importance of members conducting
themselves as responsible representatives of our school. Student council is indeed made up of students who represent
their peers, and the importance of listening to suggestions from fellow students
was stressed. Our elected officers are
indeed role models for the entire student
body and they know to lead by example.
Our Middle School Student Council
looks forward to a productive and democratic year of representing our school and
being the voice of the students. Democracy is indeed alive and well in the Center Moriches Middle School. “No man
is good enough to govern another man
without the other’s consent” – Abraham
Lincoln
By: Bradford H. Turnow, Middle School
Student Council Advisor
8
November 2014
The District News
CSIP Breakfast
Honorees
From left to right: Alyssa, Mr. Casswell, Natalie, Kelsey, Caitlyn, Erin, Lauryn, Anthony, Ashley, Anthony, Sarah, Elizabeth, Michael, Cory,
Devon, Jillian, Sarah, Rachel, Lauren, and Patrick.
By: Sherry Turpin
On October 3, 2014, twenty
high school students were honored
with a special breakfast. These
amazing young men and women
earned one hundred or more CSIP
points during the 2013-14 school
year, thus becoming a part of the
Community Service and Involvement Program 100+ Club.
During the breakfast, each
of the students was able to speak
a bit about his or her community
service experiences. Mr. Casswell commended these students
for their altruism and encouraged
them to continue to be leaders in
the school and community.
The overall sentiment of
the group was that helping others
gives you a feeling like no other,
and changes your perspective on
life. These young men and women truly understand the meaning
of “giving back” and they know
how personally fulfilling it is to
do so.
Their community service
and involvement includes, but is
not limited to:
Michael volunteers at the
Moriches Community Center and
for the Long Island Blaze Volleyball. He is also a member of
our Boys’ Volleyball and Track
teams, Robotics Club, Drama
Club, Science Honor Society,
NEHS, LOTE Honor Society, and
Tri-M.
Caitlyn is involved in the Ro-
tary Youth Exchange Program
and Brookhaven Youth Court.
She is also a member of our Girls
Tennis and Track teams, Science
Honor Society, LOTE Honor Society, Tri-M, NHS, NEHS, and
Interact.
Lauryn is involved in the
Rotary Youth Exchange Program
and Brookhaven Youth Court.
She is also a member of our Girls
Tennis and Track teams, Science
Honor Society, LOTE Honor Society, Tri-M, NHS, NEHS, and
Interact.
Alyssa volunteers for Kids
Stock the House/Ronald McDonald House and is a member of the
Science Honor Society, LOTE
Honor Society, NHS, NEHS, TriM, Jazz Band, and Interact.
Sarah participated in mission
work as well as many hours of
service through the Eastport Bible Church. She is also a member of the Metropolitan Youth
Orchestra, Interact, Tri-M, NHS,
and Jazz Band.
Erin volunteers for Rotary
Youth Leadership and is a member of our Girls Tennis team,
the LOTE Honor Society, NHS,
NEHS, and Interact.
Lauren volunteers for Kids
Stock the House/ Ronald McDonald House and was chosen to represent this organization on a TV
talk show “Young Minds, Kind
Hearts.” She is also co-president
of our Bible Club.
Devon volunteers for the VFW
and Long Island Blaze Volleyball.
He is also a member of our Boys
Volleyball Team.
Rachel is a volunteer instructor at Shaolin Kempo Karate
and at a local horse camp. She
also volunteers her time at the
Moriches Community Center and
the Moriches Rotary Club. In addition, Rachel is a member of Interact, DECA, Jazz Chorus, and
Tri-M.
Sarah volunteers at the Moriches
Community Center and for the
PTA. She is also a member of our
Girls Soccer and Lacrosse teams,
the LOTE Honor Society, Tri-M,
NHS, Science Honor Society, and
Robotics Club.
Kelsey volunteers at the Moriches
Community Center and for the
Moriches Seahawks. She is also a
member of our Cheerleading and
Lacrosse teams, Student Council,
DECA, and Drama Club.
Craig volunteers at the South
Bay Bible Church and the Chamber of Commerce of the Moriches.
He is also a member of our Boys
Golf team and is co-president of
our Bible Club.
Patrick volunteers at St. John
the Evangelist RCC and is a member of their Youth Ministry. He
is also a member of our Boys
Volleyball team, Jazz Band, Jazz
Chorus, and Bible Club.
Jillian volunteers at the Moriches
Community Center and the Presbyterian Church of the Moriches
Community Food Pantry. She is
also a member of Multicultural
Club, Future Teachers Club, Peer
Tutoring, and SADD.
Anthony is a volunteer coach
for the Moriches Youth Organization. He is also a member of our
Boys Golf and Lacrosse teams, as
well as the Drama Club.
Anthony volunteers as a coach
for the Seahawks and has participated in our Football, Wrestling,
and Track & Field programs.
Natalie participated in mission work as well as service
through Lamb’s Chapel. She also
participates in Girls Gymnastics.
Elizabeth is a coach for the
Rolling Thunder Special Needs
Program. She also participated in
Light the Night and the Ride for
Life.
Ashley has been inspired by
her involvement in the Autism
Program. She volunteers and fundraises for many different causes
including the MCC and the Girls
Scouts of America. She is also a
member of our Girls Volleyball
and Softball teams, Multicultural
Club, Drama Club, Interact, and
Jazz Chorus.
Cory volunteers at St. John
the Evangelist Outreach and also
participated in our Cards of Encouragement program.
November 2014
The District News
P TA H a ppeni ngs
What a nice way to start up
the school year for the second and
third graders! Jennifer Rotunda
(mother of Nicholas, Zachary, Gianna and Alexander) did a great
job organizing a KICKBALL
event, in which the students, who
wore green to represent the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, played
against the adults, who wore yellow to represent the Minions. The
adults included parents and family
members, along with Mrs. Rasso,
Mrs. Cameron, Mrs. Esp, and
Mrs. Estes.
What a special treat that was
to see and play with the teachers
AND the Assistant Principal of
their school! The Kids LOVED
it! In addition, we had two special
visitors, a Minion and a Teenage
Mutant Ninja Turtle, who hung
around and interacted with all of
the players. (A special thank you
for wearing those HOT but FUN
costumes to Jen Rotunda’s sister
and Kayla Mitchell, a sixth grader
and Missy KilKenny, a parent of
Jenna & Leah).
The CMPTA loves to run
these events involving both adults
and children, along with teachers
and staff for numerous reasons:
1. The children absolutely LOVE
going back to the school, after
school, to be with their friends
to do things outside of their
normal routine.
2. The children absolutely ENJOY having their family members come so they can introduce them to friends, staff,
and to interact with them in a
different environment, other
than in their home.
3. The adults get to speak with
other adults and share in discussions about homework and
play dates and they get to meet
people too!
4. The children absolutely APPRECIATE seeing teachers
and staff getting involved in
afterschool activities. It’s almost as if the staff and teachers are MOVIE STARS when
November 18
Beginning November
1st
Through November
18th
CMPTA will be selling
KidStuff Coupon books
The books cost $25
and will save you
much more!
November 22
November 29
December 3 - 5
December 10 -12
December 12
January 9
By: Michelle Mitchell
the children see them outside the typical school setting!
The CMPTA has lots of events planned for the school year, thanks to
wonderful parents who have already offered to help. I encourage family members to contact me at michellemitchellflowers@hotmail.com if you would like
to be involved with these events! It can be to help out with an event or even to
run an event! If you would like to be a part of other events and activities that
the PTA coordinates throughout the year, please feel free to send an email to
cmptainfo@aol.com. We love all of our volunteers!
The next event will be an OPEN MIC night for grades K-5, which will
encourage students to not only write a brief poem or story but to also read
them aloud to their peers in a “coffee house/open mic” setting. Be on the
lookout for a flyer coming out soon!
UPCOMING PTA EVENTS
November 1
9
KidStuff Coupon Book Fundraiser
Contact CMPTA info@aol.com
PTA / Septa Meeting- Speaker on Bullying
7:00 PM District Office Bldg
Islander’s Game
PTA/ Chamber Craft Fair
Clayton Huey Main Street Gym 9-4
Clayton Huey Student Holiday Boutique
Middle School Holiday Boutique
Middle School Pizza and Paint Night
Harlem Wizards Game
HS Gymnasium
Contact CMPTAinfo@aol.com
Harlem Wizards
Game
Friday
January 9, 2015
7:00 pm
a d va n c e d t i c k e t s
s t u d e n t s $10
A d u lt s $12
at t h e d o or
S t u d e n t s $12
A d u lt s $15
great as stocking
stuffers!
contact
cmptainfo@aol.com
Dear Community Members,
This year Center Moriches will be collecting Box Top and Label for Education labels to raise money for our
school. Did you know that some local schools raise thousands of dollars for their schools each year, just from clipping
and submitting Box Tops and Labels for Education?
Both labels are on the packaging of hundreds of participating products that you probably use every day. All you
need to do is cut them off of the product they are on, stick them in a baggie, and send them to school with your child.
If you do not have a child in the district and want to show support we have collection cans at our Public Library for you
to drop off or you can choose to send them in with a neighbor or mail them directly to the school Attention: CMPTA,
529 Main Street, Center Moriches, NY , 11934
We will be collecting Box Tops and Labels For Education all year long, So be sure to start clipping both now. (Labels for Education must be
clipped with the bar code intact).
Sincerely,
Annette Rank, Center Moriches PTA President
10
November 2014
The District News
Winter Sports Schedules
VARSITY BOYS BASKETBALL
HEAD COACH: Mr. Nick Thomas
Day
S
TH
T
F
T
F
T
S
SUN
T
W
S
T
F
T
TH
S
T
TH
T
F
T
F
Date
11/29
12/4
12/9
12/12
12/16
12/19
12/23
12/27
12/28
12/30
12/31
1/3
1/6
1/9
1/13
1/15
1/17
1/20
1/22
1/27
1/30
2/3
2/6
Venue
MULTI TEAM
MILLER PLACE
COMSEWOGUE
MERCY
WYANDANCH
BABYLON
PIERSON
TOURNAMENT
TOURNAMENT
CENTRAL ISLIP
EAST HAMPTON
NORTH BABYLON
MATTITUCK
SOUTHAMPTON
HAMPTON BAYS
PORT JEFFERSON
MERCY
WYANDANCH
BABYLON
MATTITUCK
SOUTHAMPTON
HAMPTON BAYS
PORT JEFFERSON
Home/Away
HOME*
HOME*
HOME**
AWAY
HOME
AWAY
HOME*
HOME
HOME
AWAY**
HOME*
HOME*
HOME
AWAY
HOME
HOME
HOME
AWAY
HOME
AWAY
HOME
AWAY
AWAY
Time
10:00
5:30
6:45
6:15
6:15
6:15
5:30
5:00
2:30
12:00
10:00
10:00
6:15
6:15
6:15
6:15
1:00
4:30
7:00
5:45
7:00
5:45
4:30
VARSITY GIRLS BASKETBALL
HEAD COACH: Ms. Kelley Watts
Day
T
TH
M
S
T
TH
M
S
SUN
T
T
TH
T
T
F
T
F
T
S
Date
11/29
12/2
12/4
12/9
12/16
12/19
12/23
12/27
12/28
12/31
1/3
1/6
1/9
1/13
1/15
1/20
1/22
1/27
1/30
2/3
2/6
Venue
MULTI TEAM
LI LUTHERAN
MILLER PLACE
COMSEWOGUE
WYANDANCH
BABYLON
PIERSON
TOURNAMENT
TOURNAMENT
EAST HAMPTON
MATTITUCK
SOUTHAMPTON
HAMPTON BAYS
PORT JEFFERSON
WYANDANCH
BABYLON
MATTITUCK
SOUTHAMPTON
HAMPTON BAYS
PORT JEFF
Home/Away
HOME*
HOME*
HOME*
HOME*
HOME
AWAY
HOME*
HOME***
HOME***
HOME*
HOME*
HOME
AWAY
HOME
HOME
AWAY
HOME
AWAY
HOME
AWAY
AWAY
Venue
PORT JEFF
SAYVILLE
EAST/S MANOR
NORTH BABYLON
WYANDANCH
BABYLON
MILLER PLACE
TOURNAMENT
TOURNAMENT
WM FLOYD
MATTITUCK
SOUTHAMPTON
HAMPTON BAYS
WYANDANCH
BABYLON
MATTITUCK
SOUTHAMPTON
HAMPTON BAYS
PIERSON
Home/Away
HOME**
AWAY**
AWAY**
HOME*
AWAY
HOME
HOME*
HOME
HOME
HOME*
AWAY
HOME
AWAY
HOME
AWAY
HOME
AWAY
HOME
HOME*
Time
4:30
4:30
4:30
10:00
4:30
4:30
10:00
12:00
12:00
10:00
5:45
7:00
5:45
6:15
6:15
6:15
6:15
6:15
10:00
*Scrimmage
**Non League
***Middle School
JUNIOR VARSITY GIRLS BASKETBALL
HEAD COACH: Mrs. Heidi McCarthy
JUNIOR VARSITY BOYS BASKETBALL
HEAD COACH: Mr. Fred Delgiorno
Day
S
T
TH
T
T
F
T
S
SUN
W
S
T
F
T
TH
T
TH
T
F
T
F
Date
12/2
12/4
12/8
12/13
12/16
12/18
12/22
12/27
12/28
12/30
1/6
1/8
1/13
1/20
1/23
1/27
1/30
2/3
2/7
Time
10:00
6:30
5:30
5:00
4:30
4:30
5:30
5:00
12:00
10:00
TBD
4:30
4:30
4:30
4:30
6:00
5:15
4:00
5:15
4:00
6:15
Day
S
T
TH
M
S
SUN
T
T
TH
T
T
F
T
F
T
Date
12/13
12/16
12/18
12/22
12/27
12/28
12/30
1/6
1/8
1/13
1/20
1/23
1/27
1/30
2/3
Venue
N BABYLON
WYANDANCH
BABYLON
MILLER PLACE
TOURNAMENT
TOURNAMENT
WM FLOYD
MATTITUCK
SOUTHAMPTON
HAMPTON BAYS
WYANDANCH
BABYLON
MATTITUCK
SOUTHAMPTON
HAMPTON BAYS
Home/Away
HOME*
AWAY
HOME***
HOME*
HOME***
HOME***
HOME*
AWAY
HOME
AWAY
HOME
AWAY
HOME
AWAY
HOME
Time
10:00
6:00
4:30
10:00
12:00
10:00
10:00
4:00
5:15
4:00
4:30
4:30
4:30
5:00
4:30
For schedule changes and
updates, please check the Center Moriches
Website’s Athletic Page or the
Section XI Website.
November 2014
The Red Devil Pride Club hosts the:
Anthony Parlato “Help Someone Today” Memorial Basketball Tournament
$5 Daily Admission (All Games) Separate admission on Saturday & Sunday
Proceeds to be donated in honor of Anthony Parlato
Saturday December 27, 2014
Bayport vs Comeswogue
Mercy vs Center Moriches
Varsity Girls
@ Center Moriches High School
@ Center Moriches High School
12:00pm
2:30pm
Bayport vs Comeswogue
Mercy vs Center Moriches
JV Girls
@ Center Moriches Middle School
@ Center Moriches Middle School
2:30pm
12:00pm
Greenport vs Bridgehampton
East Islip vs Center Moriches
Varsity Boys
@ Center Moriches High School
@ Center Moriches High School
5:00pm
7:30pm
East Islip vs Westhampton
Greenport vs Center Moriches
JV Boys
@ Center Moriches Middle School
@ Center Moriches Middle School
7:30pm
5:00pm
Sunday December 28, 2014
TBD vs TBD
TBD vs TBD
TBD vs Center Moriches
TBD vs Center Moriches
Varsity Girls & Boys Bracket
@ Center Moriches High School
@ Center Moriches High School
@ Center Moriches High School
@ Center Moriches High School
JV Boys & Girls Bracket
TBD VS TBD
@ Center Moriches Middle School
TBD vs TBD
@ Center Moriches Middle School
TBD vs Center Moriches JV
@Center Moriches Middle School
TBD vs Center Moriches JV
@ Center Moriches Middle School
BOLD-Girls Games
Wrestling
Day
W
S
SUN
T
F
W
F
W
F
11
The District News
VARSITY WRESTLING
HEAD COACH: Mr. Mike Koscinski
Date Venue
Home/Away
12/17 STONY BROOK
AWAY
12/20 TOURNAMENT
HOME
12/21 TOURNAMENT
HOME
1/6
HAMPTON BAYS AWAY
1/9
SOUTHAMPTON HOME
1/14
SMITHTOWN CH AWAY
1/16
PORT JEFF
HOME
1/21
BABYLON
AWAY
1/23
MATT/GPT
HOME
JUNIOR VARSITY WRESTLING
HEAD COACH: Mr. Kevin Fey
Day Date Venue
Home/Away
F
1/16 PORT JEFF
HOME
W
1/21 BABYLON
AWAY
F
1/23 MATT/GPT/SHLD HOME
12:00pm
2:30pm
5:00pm
7:30pm
10:00am
12:00pm
2:30pm
5:00pm
Facility Improvement Vote
$1,050,000, will cost an
average Center Moriches
School District homeowner (with an assessed
home value of $2,700) only
$13.74 per year in school
taxes if approved. The second proposition cannot be
approved unless the first
proposition is approved.
In addition, the Board and
administration are currently researching different material options for the
field. Please be assured that
the district will do its due
diligence in evaluating all
options and only proceed
with a final product if we
are confident in its safety
ratings.
Capital
improvements of this scale cannot
be included in the operating budget without impacting the tax levy . Using a
bond spreads out the cost
over a longer period of time
and mitigates the annual
tax impact. For our residents, this process is similar to taking out a home
improvement loan. For example, if a home required
new windows, a new roof
and a new furnace totaling
$75,000, many homeowners would opt for taking
out a low-interest loan and
paying back the costs over
Continued from Page 1
time. Selling bonds and
paying for the project over
time reduces the annual
tax impact to a manageable
level, while allowing us to
realize completion of all of
the projects in a short period of time.
It is important to
note the district is eligible
for New York State building aid to help fund a large
portion of the improvement
projects. Approximately
62% of the total cost will
be funded through building aid, drastically lowering the cost impact to the
community. Many other
school districts throughout
Long Island have taken advantage of state aid – your
tax dollars – to help fund
building projects. The
Board believes it is our
district’s turn to take advantage of this opportunity. This, coupled with the
unprecedented low interest
rates, makes this project
more affordable and attainable than it might otherwise be.
We urge voters to
stay informed by reviewing this and other publications to come, along with
the information that can
be found on our website,
www.cmschools.org.
2014 HCARE Summer Academy Graduation Ceremony
Time
4:30
8:30
8:30
6:00
4:30
4:30
4:30
6:30
4:30
Time
6:00
5:30
6:00
Congratulations to
Tehya Treadwell for graduating from the Stony
Brook School of Health
Technology and Management: Health Careers
Academic
Readiness
and Excellence Program
(HCARE) on October 28.
Tehya received her
white lab coat from Dr.
Carlos Vidal, Project
Director, received her
certificate of completion
from Dr. Casciano, and
took her oath with Mr.
Erik Flynn, Educational Specialist.
Tehya is a Center Moriches
Senior from the Unkechaug Nation,
one of five students who completed
this summer's program. This program promotes college readiness
and offers the hands-on introduc-
tion to the Allied Health Services.
She is pictured with Prof. Vidal and
Mr. Casciano, and Rashelle Batress, student from William Floyd
High School.
By: Irene Marie Navas,
Reservation Community Liaison
The District News
The Newspaper of the Center Moriches School District
Volume 21 Number 1
www.cmschools.org
November 2014
The Fifth Grade Band Has School Spirit!
By: Pam Basile
This year’s Fifth Grade
Band rocked at our Clayton
Huey Pep Rally! They performed “Rock and Roll Part
2,” also known as the “Hey”
song, for a revved up and
excited audience.
Their school spirit was
evident as they snapped
their instruments into playing position together as a
united team.
“It was fun! I absolutely loved playing,” said Lillian.
We are very proud of
our young musicians and
look forward to seeing and
hearing all they accomplish
this year!
Center Moriches Instrument Drive: You Can Help!
Do you know why music
education in our schools is so
important? Many studies show
positive links between music
education and success on test
scores and graduation rates. Being a member of a band helps
shape our children academically, socially, emotionally, and of
course, musically.
When the fifth grade band
was asked why they thought music is important, Lillyanna said,
“Music is fun and helps you be
creative.”
Lajeska happily added,
“Music helps you express yourself through your instrument.”
The Center Moriches Music
Department believes that every
student should have the opportunity to participate in our band
program and would like your
help in making that possible. We
would be appreciative of donations of the instruments listed on
he right (in working condition
only), and any gently used “Essential Elements” method books.
Please email Jeremy Thode at
JThode@cmschools.org if you
are interested in donating.
S AV E T H E D A T E S :
NOVEMBER
November 18
November 20
November 26-28
DECEMBER
December 6
December 8
December 10
December 16
PTA/SEPTA Meeting
7:00 pm
Board of Education Mtg. 7:30 pm
Thanksgiving Holiday
Schools Closed
SAT Exam
C/H Winter Concert
Board of Education Mtg. 7:30 pm
M/S Holiday Concert
Piccolo
Flute
Oboe
Bb Clarinet
Bass Clarinet
Contra Bass Clarinet
Alto Saxophone
Tenor Saxophone
Baritone Saxophone
Trumpet
Cornet
Flugelhorn
French Horn
Trombone
Baritone
Euphonium
Tuba
Percussion Equipment
UPCOM ING E V ENTS
December 18
December 22-31
H/S Holiday Concert
Schools Closed
JANUARY
January 1-2
January 14
Schools Closed
Board of Education Meeting
Please Check the CM Website for Weather Related
Closings and Delayed Openings:
www.cmschools.org