Summer 2013 Issue of Soaring

Summer 2013
www.rockypointschools.org
Celebrating the
Class of
2013
As the sounds of “Pomp and
Circumstance” echoed in the warm June
air, the 247 graduates of the Rocky Point
High School Class of 2013 marched
past proud family members, friends and
teachers to take their seats on the football
field and begin this year’s commencement
ceremony. Following the singing of “The
Star-Spangled Banner” by class members
Jacqueline Messinetti, Symone Mitchell,
Zachary Riley and Daniel Wood, several
speakers addressed the crowd.
Exhortation speaker Matthew Amoscato
began by thanking those individuals who
have shaped his life and the lives of his
fellow graduates. “On this day, we look to
the past in order to transition to the future,”
he said. Adding to that notion, salutatorian
Elizabeth Kidney said, “It is okay to be
unsure of the future because it can change
at any minute…No matter what you decide
to do with your life, enjoy it.” Valedictorian
Sidarth Menon spoke about the level of
persistence needed to achieve success.
“In our lives there will be mistakes,”
he said. “There will be triumphs
and there will be failures…Don’t be afraid
to accept challenges because you are afraid
of making mistakes. Every mistake we
make, every failure we experience and every
disappointment we face is part of the path
toward finding success and happiness.”
As they sat on the brink of life’s next
journey, Superintendent of Schools Dr.
Michael Ring urged the students to be
mindful of the famous quote, “Decisions
are made by those who show up.”
High School Principal John
DeBenedetto noted the class’s myriad of
accomplishments both in and outside of
the classroom when he praised the students
for numerous county and state music
and athletic awards, the high number of
Advanced Placement Scholars, and their
work in helping the school acquire an alltime high number of scholar-athlete teams.
Before each graduate was presented with
his or her diploma, several students were
presented with departmental, service and
scholarship awards, and six were honored
for having perfect attendance during
their time at the high school.
After crossing the dais to
receive their diplomas
from Board of Education
President Michael Nofi,
the new graduates
ceremonially tossed their
mortarboards high into the
summer air before making
their recessional exit to the
traditional “Golden Eagle
March.”
re
For Mo mation
Infor
n
o
i
t
a
Gradu
es 4-5
g
a
P
e
e
S
with extra support opportunities to get back on track, their
A Message from Your Superintendent
implementation can be directly attributed to this increase and is
expected to yield similar results with the Class of 2013.
Dr. Michael F. Ring
When we began to envision a program to meet this cross
section of our student population, these were the types of
I hope you and your families are enjoying a restful summer
results we hoped to achieve, and I am extremely pleased with
vacation. Our schools remain busy during these summer
the benefits they are having for our students. In the months
months, as our capital improvement projects are well underway
and years ahead, we plan to continue developing and reviewing
and several district programs are continuing for some of our
ways to enhance these programs as we strive to improve
most struggling learners.
achievement throughout our four schools.
As was noted in our spring edition of Soaring, the support
Knowing that learning is a continuous process, and
programs that the district has put into place – namely ICARE
recognizing the successful strides made by students during
and SHARP – provide students with opportunities to stay
the school year, these targeted intervention opportunities are
on academic track with their grade-level cohorts. During
continuing through this summer. Approximately 60 outgoing
the school year, identified students in grades 1-5 are offered
kindergarten through fifth-grade students are enrolled in
academic support in the areas of English language arts and
summer SHARP for math and literacy support, 70 secondary
mathematics through SHARP (Striving for Higher Achievement
students are benefiting from the summer ICARE credit
at Rocky Point), while secondary students are offered similar
recovery program, and close to 90 students are taking the
support across a range of discipline areas through ICARE
ICARE test prep component. Additionally, 19 struggling readers
(Individualized Comprehensive Academic Response for
at the middle school are enrolled in the district’s seven-week
Excellence).
READ 180 and Systems 44 programs, and through a continued
While SHARP was only introduced this past winter, the
collaboration with Eastern Suffolk BOCES, several students are
ICARE initiative has been in place for two years, the benefits
taking part in a summer school program.
of which have notably come to fruition since the program’s
The future is surely bright for those in Rocky Point, and I
implementation. Over the past several years, the high school
look forward to sharing future strides we make in strengthening
graduation rate for Rocky Point has held steady at 85 percent.
our core academic programs. I wish you an enjoyable rest of
Following the implementation of ICARE, this rate jumped to 88
the summer and extend my deepest congratulations to the
percent with the Class of 2012 (the latest data available). As
members of the Rocky Point High School Class of 2013.
these programs provide students performing below grade level
Best Wishes to Retirees New Member Aboard
During the annual reorganization meeting held on
This year, the district bid a fond farewell to
July 11, Board of Education members Michael Nofi and
several retiring faculty and staff members who have
Diane Burke were appointed as board president and vice
collectively dedicated 120 years of service to the
president, respectively. They will serve in these leadership
families of Rocky Point. The district extends a sincere
roles throughout the 2013-2014 school year. Also during
thank-you to the following individuals for their time
the meeting, District Clerk Patricia Jones oversaw the
and service to the students and community.
swearing in of newly elected
member Susan Y. Sullivan,
Timothy Delaney, Ph.D. – HS English Teacher – 35 yrs.
who officially began serving
Donna Ericson – HS English Teacher – 34 yrs.
her three-year term of office.
Joseph Hetterich – Special Education Teacher – 30 yrs.
Barbara Kjaerbye – MS Teacher – 27 yrs.
The district extends its
appreciation to these and
fellow Board members John
Joanne Osmanski – FJC Secretary – 12 yrs.
Lessler and Scott Reh for
Irene Pedota – HS Principal Secretary – 16 yrs.
volunteering their time to
Patricia Smith – FJC Physical Education Teacher – 31 yrs.
serve the community in this
capacity.
2
R
o
c
k
y
p
o
i
n
t
u
n
i
o
n
f
r
e
e
s
c
h o
o
l
d
i
s
t
r
i
c
t
Fall Drug Forum to Benefit Community Youth
In a time when statistics show that 66 percent
of the world’s illegal drugs are consumed in
the United States, the district has committed
to doubling its already proactive efforts
toward educating the community’s youth
about the dangers of such behavior. During a
recent planning meeting attended by district
administrators, representatives from community
support organizations, elected officials, parents
and students, a wealth of information on the
topic was shared and the planning of a fall “Drug
Free” community forum commenced.
“It is important for as many people as possible
to work together in order to convince our
youth that the risks associated with drug use
are not worth taking, and that they can make
more positive alternative choices,” said meeting
facilitator and high school Assistant Principal
Susann Crossan.
During the meeting, attendees were informed
of the previous efforts the high school has taken
with regard to the topic, as well as data obtained
from a student assessment survey and focus
group discussions conducted this spring at the
Rocky Point School District recently hosted a planning meeting as part of its efforts to organize a fall “Drug Free” community
forum. Pictured are Superintendent of Schools Dr. Michael Ring, Kristen MacKay from the Suffolk County Sheriff’s
Department, Jennifer Serrentino from Hope House Overdose Prevention Endeavor, Stephanie Sloan from Family Service
League, Suffolk County Legislator Sarah Anker, Kristen Muratore from the North Shore Youth Council, high school Assistant
Principal Susann Crossan, Principal John DeBenedetto, Board President Michael Nofi and Brookhaven Town Councilwoman
Jane Bonner.
middle and high schools.
“When you look at the data, it is evident
that this is a problem that is relevant globally
as well as in our own backyards,” said Board of
Education President Michael Nofi. “What makes
our community unique is our willingness and
drive to band together on issues such as this. I
think tonight was a great start toward planning a
meaningful event this fall.”
In addition to the district-based findings,
Suffolk County Legislator Sarah Anker,
Brookhaven Town Councilwoman Jane Bonner,
Kristin MacKay from the Suffolk County
Sheriff’s Department and Jennifer Serrentino
from Hope House Overdose Prevention
Endeavor also addressed the crowd about the
widespread issue of drug and alcohol use and
abuse. Once set, the date of the fall forum will be
communicated home to parents and those in the
community.
Capital Projects
Student’s Work Added
to HS Collection
The outstanding work of junior Sarah Viola has been
added to the library collection at Rocky Point High
School after the Board of Education and administration
recognized it as a valuable research tool for other
scholars. Sarah spent over a year and a half completing
an independent research project on Joshua Johnson, one
of the first African-American portrait painters.
Sarah’s paper, which was four chapters in length,
focused on the life, lineage and works of Mr. Johnson. She looked at the subjects
of his paintings as well as his connection to the influential and political figures
of Colonial and early American history. To uncover original information for the
project, Sarah conducted an interview with a museum curator, visited churches and
town hall record rooms that held records from Colonial times in Maryland and
Delaware, and even followed lineage through graveyards’ headstones as part of her
research process.
U n d e r w ay
The district broke ground on many of the projects included
in the summer capital reserve plan on Monday, June 24. These
projects were approved by voters last fall and are being funded
at no new cost to taxpayers, as the monies were included in
the district’s previous capital reserve fund. The work includes
the demolition of three science classrooms, construction of a
bathroom in the high school skills classroom, removal of the
current high school track and installation of a new turf field, as
well as the upcoming reconstruction of bathrooms in the high
school cafeteria.
Residents are encouraged to follow the weekly progress of
these projects on the district’s website. These updates will be
posted to the “Weekly Capital Reserve Projects Update” link
and will include a recap of the work completed as well as photos
of both the interior and exterior construction endeavors.
Essays Earn
Scholarships
After being moved by this September’s 9/11 assembly program
featuring speakers from the FealGood Foundation, Rocky Point
High School junior Joseph Russo and senior Serafina TirannoCimisi entered the organization’s essay competition and were
announced as winners this June. The students, who penned
essays about the significance of the historic day and the important
reasons why it should be remembered, were each given a $1,000
scholarship from the foundation. They are pictured to the
right with Captain Michael McPhillips, FealGood Foundation
representative and 9/11 responder and advocate, and Richard
Acritelli, high school teacher and coordinator of the school’s 9/11
remembrance ceremony.
R
o
c
k
y
p
o
i
n
t
u
n
i
o
n
f
r
e
e
s
c
h
o
o
l
d
i
s
t
r
i
c
t
3
Sidarth Menon – Valedictorian
While a student in the district, Sidarth took the most rigorous courses available to him and continued to maintain a highly challenging
course selection offered in his senior year. Earlier this year, based on his performance on Advanced Placement exams, Sidarth was granted one
of the College Board’s highest honors by being named an AP Scholar with Distinction. Outside of the classroom, he excelled in numerous
activities, demonstrating his ability to carefully balance extracurricular activities with academics. He was a competitive lettering tennis player,
a drum major for the marching band, president of the Science Club, captain of the Science Bowl and vice president of Students Against
Destructive Decisions. Additionally, he contributed to the community as a peer tutor to many students of all grades. He will be attending the
University of Pittsburgh in the fall, where he will major in history.
Elizabeth Kidney – Salutatorian
Elizabeth undertook the most demanding and balanced program of studies, including every honors and AP course available to her at
Rocky Point High School. In recognition of her dedication to her academics, Elizabeth was named an AP Scholar with Honor by the College
Board and a Commended Student by the National Merit Scholarship Program. Beyond the classroom, she was a member of the National
Honor Society, vice president of the Math Honor Society and an active volunteer for the American Cancer Society. Over the years, she
volunteered with Relay for Life as a planning committee member, entertainment chairperson and team co-captain. Her efforts have helped
raise thousands of dollars for this worthy cause. Elizabeth also volunteered her time as a peer mentor and tutor for younger students at the
school and in the community and has volunteered at the Wooded Acres Animal Hospital. She will be attending St. Joseph’s College in
the fall.
Matthew Amoscato – Exhortation Speaker
Driven to excel academically, Matthew maintained a challenging course load each year, including enrollment in many of the school’s
Advanced Placement courses. As a testament to his work in the classroom, Matthew was named an AP Scholar with Honor earlier this year.
As an athlete, he was an important member of the varsity football, wrestling and lacrosse teams. Matthew was president of the Varsity Club
and a member of the Be a Nicer Neighbor club and Students Against Destructive Decisions. His leadership skills enabled these organizations
to raise money for various community-based projects. Matthew has committed to the United States Merchant Marine Academy at Kings
Point to further his education.
Rocky Point High School 2013 Graduates
4
R
o
c
k
y
p
o
i
n
t
u
Nicole Kerremans
Elizabeth Kidney
Mary Kincaid
Alyssa Kistner
Christopher Krug
Steven LaBarbera
Joseph Laccesaglia
Alexandria LaGala
Brandon Lamar
Quentin Lambert
Nicholas LaSalla
Brianna LaVista
Benjamin LeCates
Jessica Levonick
Michael Levy
Grace Lopez
Lee Lopez
Kristine Loscalzo
Brian Lounsbury
McKenzie Luberda
Rachel Macellaro
Dylan Magee
Timothy Maggio
Ashley Mancini
Michele Manginello
Janay Mansilungan
Jessica Marcks
Joseph Margulies
Eugene Marrero Jr.
Michael Martin
Lauren Mattarella
Michael Gilmartin
Daniel Glennon
Jessica Gordon
Rebecca Gordon
Kaitlin Grady
Sydnee Gross
Jake Grossmann
Kelli Grossmann
Bodine Guarino
Matthew Guerrisi
Alyssa Guido
Ryan Hackal
Steven Haeffner
Joseph Hagan
Kipp Henkin
Kali Herbstman
Krystal Herbstman
Jaimee Herrera
Gabriela Hnizdo
Drew Hoffman
Amy Hohowski
Nicholas Hollowell
Elizabeth Holter
Stephanie Hunsucker
Angela Iovine
Coryn Jones
Billy Peter Kalavanos
Burak Karaturk
Danielle Keating
Hailey Keeler
Christopher Kelly
Hannah Collins
Alexis Conlon
Cassandra Costarelli
Natalie Costello
Shawn Countess
Kayla Cove
Edward Crawford Jr.
Deirdre Curry
Christina D’Amore
Dana D’Aquila
Alexandra Darcey
Jolee DiSalvio
Elizabeth Dobies
Cheyenne Enlund
Andria Errante
Steven Ewart
Nicholas Fabian
Jennifer Falco
Michael Fields
Justin Fiore
Martin Fischetti
Michael Flecha
Jeremy Freund
Stephanie Galluzzo
Katrina Galvin
Lindsay Garvey
Alex Gaudet
Laran Genc
Lauren Giannotti
Monica Giannotti
Sean Gifford
Jacqueline Abbate
Nicholas Accardi
Sarah Addiss
Matthew Amoscato
Victoria Anderson
Dakota Arocho
Alyssa Ayers
Brandon Badillo
Sarah Batal
Michael Bellissimo
Ryan Benante
Kyle Berkoski
Matthew Best
John Paul Bierce
Miguel Blandon
Lauren Blume
Shannon Bouker
Kelly Britten
Vincent Bua
Daniel Cambria
Dillon Campbell
Taylor Campbell
Vivian Canning
Jessica Cannon
Melissa Carneiro
Matthew Carnival
Kelci Christiansen
Cynthia Clark
Luke Cohen
Donte Coleman
Caroline Collesidis
n
i
o
n
f
r
e
e
s
c
h
o
o
l
d
i
s
t
r
i
c
t
A Legacy of Success
Over the past 13 years, the Class of 2013 has accrued countless awards and
honorable achievements and now leaves behind an impressive legacy of success. Below
are some statistics on this impressive class.
Post High School Plans:
• 41% of graduates will be attending a four-year college this fall
• 49% of graduates will be attending a two-year college this fall
• 3% of graduates will be enrolling in a vocational school
• 4% of graduates will be joining the military
• 3% will enter the workforce
Seniors Named
Scholarship Winners
Based on their track record of achieving academic
success, seven Rocky Point High School seniors were
named New York State Scholarship for Academic
Excellence winners. This award was bestowed upon the
students based on their grades and performance on
certain Regents exams.
Annually, the program provides some 8,000 scholarships
to outstanding New York State high school graduates.
Scholarships range from $500 to $1,500 per year for up
to five years of undergraduate study in New York State.
Congratulations to this year’s Rocky Point recipients:
Types of Diplomas Awarded:
• 12.6% received an Advanced Regents with Honors diploma
• 24.3% received an Advanced Regents diploma
• 0.8% received a Regents diploma with Honors
• 53% received a Regents diploma
• 9.3% received a local or IEP diploma
The Places They’ll Go: Class of 2013 Top 11
Sidarth Menon
Elizabeth Kidney
Matthew Amoscato
Vincent Viggiani
Taylor Lynn Campbell
Frederick Volz
Dana D’Aquila
Jaclyn Swiderski
Jacqueline Messinetti Emily Rosman
Chadé Walker University of Pittsburgh
St. Joseph’s College, Suffolk Campus
United States Merchant Marine Academy
Stony Brook University
Stony Brook University
University of Potsdam
University of Maryland, College Park
State University of New York at New Paltz
University of Tennessee, Knoxville
St. Bonaventure University
State University of New York at Albany
Brandon Badillo
Taylor Campbell – top scholarship winner
Gabriela Hnizdo
Elizabeth Kidney
Vincent Viggiani
Chadé Walker
Gabrielle Walters
Graduates Continued...
R
o
c
k
y
p
o
i
n
t
u
n
Evan Sugrue
Kayla Sullivan
Ryan Sullivan
Jaclyn Swiderski
Carly Thomsen
Serafina Tiranno-Cimisi
Angela Torriero
Merve Toslu
Peter Tureski
Bria Tyler
Brina Valencia
Garrett Valentine
Zachary VanHelden
Jessie Vessichio
Vincent Viggiani
Frederick Volz
Kevin Vosper
Connor Voss
Andreas Vouliakis
Chadé Walker
Emma Walsh
Laura Walsh
Gabrielle Walters
Jennifer Wandle
Andrew Wider
Marc Winters
Matthew Wolf
Daniel Wood
Megan Wright
Zachary Yazak
Robert Rowley Jr.
Patrick Roy
Anthony Russo
Kaylyn Sadler
Justin Salino
Amanda Sanchez
Peter Scalcione
Rhiannon Schaefer
Brittney Schild
Zachary Schindler
Alicia Schmitz
Ariana Schultz
Frank Sciulla
Ebru Sert
William Serviss
Casey Settepani
Emily Settlocker
Alexandrea Shank
Anna Shapiro
James Shea
Carissa Shevlin
Jami Smiles
Molly Smith
Shannon Smith
Emma Sonnessa
Daniel Soranno
Kyle Spira
Christian Starace
Jenna Stevenson
Emily Stewart
Briana Struss
Georgiana O’Neill
Jenna Orlando
Aylin Ozen
Megan Palasek
Karianne Palmer
Joseph Panettiere
Jasmine Parisi
Kyle Pekrul
Michaela Pettit
Andrea Piacente
Tyler Piccolo
Nicole Piediscalzo
Alexis Pieloch
Noel Pierce
Michael Pitagno
Andrew Pitcher
Courtney Platt
Anthony Polizzi
Robert Portesy
Krystina Posada
Amanda Putko
Daniel Qeramixhi
Joseph Radenberg
Amy Rausch
Albert Reichle
Taylor Ricker
Zachary Riley
Ethan Riské
Dan Roalef
Elliott Ropell
Emily Rosman
Brianna Mattiucci
Dennis McAllister
Sean McCabe
Emma McDonnell
Daniel McLaughlin
Charles McLoone
Sidarth Menon
Austin Mentnech
Trevor Mercier
Jeffery Meruelo
Allison Messina
Jacqueline Messinetti
Alyssa Milano
Peter Millian
Michele Minogue
Pamela Mitarotondo
Symone Mitchell
Caylin Molter
Dylan Moran
Christopher Motolinia
Kassandra Mueller
Rebecca Mueller
Casey Muller
Martina Nadeau
Thomas Neilsen
Gabriella Nieto-Toro
Dylan Nugent
Keith Oberland
Brayden O’Hara
Michael Olivo
John O’Malley
i
o
n
f
r
e
e
s
c
h
o
o
l
d
i
s
t
r
i
c
t
5
Moving on to New Adventures
On a picturesque June morning, Rocky Point Middle School eighth-graders took
the next step in their academic journeys as they received their promotion certificates
and moved up to become next year’s incoming high school freshmen.
During the moving up ceremony, Principal Dr. Scott O’Brien commended the
graduates on their efforts during their time at the middle school and reflected on
their time spent together. As a testament to their individual accomplishments, several
students were presented with more than 20 academic and character awards, including
the New York State Comptroller’s Achievement Award, the Triple “C” Award, and
the Presidential Outstanding Academic Achievement and Academic Excellence awards,
as well as departmental awards.
On display during the ceremony was a beautiful tile mural created by the students
with the help of their art teacher and the support of the school’s PTA. The “spirit
tiles” were made as a lasting memory of the students’ time at the middle school and
will be hung in the school’s hallway for all to admire.
Following the ceremony, the students gathered for a barbecue and yearbook-signing
event on the back lawn.
Excelling Onward to Middle School
A processional song, led by students Noah Grossman and Alexander
Samuilov with the help of teacher David Ventura, signified the start of this
year’s fifth-grade moving up ceremony at Joseph A. Edgar Intermediate
School.
After a warm welcome from Principal Linda Towlen, the audience enjoyed
several musical selections by the school’s award-winning fifth-grade select
chorus High Notes, who performed under the direction of Craig Knapp.
The messages of these songs captured the true feeling of the day, from the
belief that “Children Are the Future of the World” to the many “Memories”
that were shared among the program attendees to the understanding that it
was indeed time to move “Onward!” to the middle school.
Before the students received their moving up certificates from their
classroom teachers, two special recognitions took place. Teacher Mark
Yashowitz recognized the members of the school’s student council, while teacher Laurie Varriale helped honor members of the Technology Club for their
work throughout the year, which included documenting and photographing school events.
Next Stop, JAE
Surrounded by proud parents, friends and teachers, the second-grade classes at
Frank J. Carasiti Elementary took part in the school’s moving up ceremony this June.
After the students had settled in their seats at the front of the gymnasium, Principal
Virginia Gibbons welcomed those in attendance. She, along with Suffolk County
Legislator Sarah Anker and Town of Brookhaven Superintendent of Highways Daniel
P. Losquadro, imparted a few words of wisdom to the young scholars.
Moving many in the audience to tears, “moving up authors” Nicholas Jaferis, Ella
Larsen, Olivia Leheste, Leila Oliver and Dakota Rosasco shared their original essays
that reflected on their favorite school memories and their hopes for their academic
futures. Celebrating a few of the grade level’s accomplishments this year, Ms. Gibbons
announced that the school had ranked No. 1 in New York State during this year’s
National Geography Bee Challenge and presented the school’s top scorers with
commemorative certificates. Joined by Student Assistance counselor Jamie Adamski,
Ms. Gibbons helped recognize the members of the second-grade service squad who
volunteered countless hours this year to assist members of their school community as
well as those in need in surrounding areas.
At the end of the ceremony, each student received a blue sash symbolizing his or her
promotion to the third grade and a dictionary from members of the Rotary Club of Rocky Point. As their last collective activity as second-graders, the
students joined together in song, performing “Amigos” both vocally and in sign language, as well as the traditional “FJC Farewell Song.”
6
R
o
c
k
y
p
o
i
n
t
u
n
i
o
n
f
r
e
e
s
c
h o
o
l
d
i
s
t
r
i
c
t
Giving Back with
As part of the AMP-1 basketball fundraiser held earlier this year, Rocky Point High School
raised $3,000 to assist the victims of Hurricane Sandy. To ensure their donation benefited
local residents who were affected by the storm, the school elected to make the donation to
Habitat for Humanity, a nonprofit that has been restoring and building homes for local
victims of the hurricane. The school chose the organization in response to the students’
eagerness to continue their community service work for the cause; and with Habitat for
Humanity, they could see the direct result of their donation by volunteering at one of the
work sites.
This June, a team of 10 students from the Interact Club and teachers from Rocky Point
High School dedicated an entire Saturday volunteering alongside a site manager and Habitat
for Humanity crew at a Mastic Beach work site. Because of the size of the school’s donation,
Rocky Point students will have the chance to volunteer at two additional sites in the
upcoming months.
County Awards for
Arts & Writing
The creativity and imagination of three
students from Joseph A. Edgar Intermediate
School were honored with top awards from
the Suffolk Reading Council. Each year, the
SRC hosts a variety of contests in the areas of
reading, writing and the arts in an effort to
promote literacy and artistic expression.
Third-grader Isadora Luce was named a
Creative Writing Contest third-place winner for
her prose. Fifth-grader Thomas Sandusky also
won third place in this contest, while thirdgrader Shaun Sander won third place in the
K-6 art competition.
Working with Published Authors
As an extension of their traditional literacy lessons, Rocky Point Middle School
students participated in a series of unique literacy events this spring, including
meeting with professional authors and attending a schoolwide live poetry event
where 67 students shared original and famous poetry.
Professional poet Darren Sardelli met with students during their English classes
to share his personal experiences with the literacy genre and engage them in the
writing process as they crafted a class poem together.
Well-known author Gordon Korman spoke with students about his vast writing
portfolio and how he got his start at a very young age. As many of his works are
personal favorites of the students, and several are even included in the school’s
English curriculum, the school’s book club helped drum up awareness for the
program by creating flyers and coordinating a poster contest. The winners of the
poster contest were Clarice Degregory, Grace Nolan and Joshua Vogel. Keeping
with middle school tradition, a mural depicting one of the school’s favored
Korman books was painted on the wall outside the school library, joining the
ranks of past visiting authors.
Following the grade-level assemblies, the poster contest winners, student
muralists and members of the school’s book club were invited to have lunch with
Mr. Korman and continue their discussions about the writing process and the job
of a professional author.
Don’t Squish the Bugs
As a conclusion to a science unit on the topic, kindergarten
students in Karen Nicholson’s class at Frank J. Carasiti
Elementary School shared their newfound knowledge on
the importance of a number of nature’s creatures during a class
play written and directed by their teacher. The beautiful scenery and colorful
costumes, created by parents with the help of teaching assistant Lisa Rinaldo,
served as a fitting backdrop for the “Please Don’t Squish the Bugs” show.
During the play, the students spoke about the value of a number of insects as
a means to end two fictional youngsters’ quest to squish or capture different bugs
that come across their path. Familiar songs, such as “The Ants Go Marching,”
were delivered throughout the performance, and each student had a dynamic
speaking part in the show.
R
o
c
k
y
p
o
i
n
t
u
n
i
o
n
f
r
e
e
s
c
h
o
o
l
d
i
s
t
r
i
c
t
7
Spotlighting Technology
Informative & Educational Videos
As part of their social studies lessons
on New York State, first-grade students
at Frank J. Carasiti Elementary used a
variety of technological resources to create
informational projects on several state
symbols.
Working with technology teacher
Jennifer Meschi, the students researched
all of the state’s symbols and created
illustrations of their chosen topics. After
scanning in their drawings to the school’s
CrazyTalk software, the students recorded
themselves reading excerpts from their
research into Audacity software. Once the
recordings were blended with the illustrations, the first-graders used the features of
CrazyTalk to make their creations come to life as animated slides. The final products
were combined using MovieMaker software to produce one video that covered all
research topics.
A Celebration of
Technology
Students are engaged in learning with the use of
technology on a daily basis. From receiving in-class
lessons using interactive white boards to completing
projects on laptops and other computer devices,
district students are truly embodying what it means
to be 21st-century learners.
Looking to showcase how technology has
become a valued resource in the district, Joseph
A. Edgar Intermediate School’s fifth-grade
Technology Club, advised by teacher Laurie
Varriale, and students in the GATES program,
taught by Donna Trapani, participated in the 13th
Annual Celebration of Technology in Education
event, hosted by the Model Schools Program in
partnership with Dowling College.
The students’ projects – Virtual Rain Forest
(fourth-grade GATES), Decades Prezis (fifthgrade GATES), Glogster Book Recommendations
(Technology Club) and Journey Through the Civil
War with QR Codes (Technology Club) – offered a
glimpse of the standards-based learning taking place
in the district with the aid of technology. During the
event, the students provided live demonstrations
of the instructional technologies used to complete
their projects and had the opportunity to view
projects made by other participating schools. The
projects completed by the Technology Club were
created and displayed using iPads on loan from the
Mid East Suffolk Teacher Center. Staying Safe Online
Joseph A. Edgar Intermediate School fifth-grade students engaged in valuable
lessons about computer and Internet safety when they took part in a “Kids
Safe Online” poster contest. After speaking with their technology teacher
about the importance of protecting one’s personal identity and the dangers of
cyberbullying, the students utilized Smart Notebook technology to produce
Internet safety posters for the New York State poster contest. The following students were presented with certificates of participation and
letters of commendation by the New York State Division of Homeland Security
and Emergency Services’ Office of Cyber Security:
Sean Broderick
Jasmine LaGala
Bryan Pazmino
Adele Rutuelo
Sophie Scalcione
Megan Sloane
Cruz Turcios
Zoey Virga
Displays of Creativity and Talent
The annual Joseph A. Edgar Intermediate School Art and Technology Show served to
once again highlight the vast talents and creativity of the building’s students.
During the evening event, attendees were invited to admire the numerous pieces of
colorful artwork created by third- through fifth-graders that adorned the hallways and the
numerous technology projects that were displayed in the library.
To allow visitors to better understand the art projects on display, art teacher Katerina
Kyriakakis prepared a comprehensive brochure detailing the students’ work, and in some
cases drew the attendees’ attention to her YouTube channel, which went into further detail about the exhibit.
The technology pieces on display during the Annual Celebration of Technology in Education event (highlighted in an article above),
as well as technology projects completed during library classes with Monica DiGiovanni, were just a few of the technology projects on
display at the building event. Visitors had the chance to explore the concepts the students were learning about in the classroom as
they worked with QR codes, CPS clickers and educational websites. The school’s Technology Club members volunteered to aid others
with the technology presented as well as photograph the event.
8
R
o
c
k
y
p
o
i
n
t
u
n
i
o
n
f
r
e
e
s
c
h o
o
l
d
i
s
t
r
i
c
t
Spring Sports Wrap-up
A Golden
Eagle
This year’s spring varsity sports teams accrued a number of impressive
accomplishments during their respective seasons, including five advancing
to playoff competitions. Congratulations to the following student-athletes
on their individual accomplishments and to the baseball, girls lacrosse,
softball, boys track and girls track teams for their postseason showings.
Baseball
Eastern Suffolk Baseball Umpires
Association County Sportsmanship
Award
Dennis McAllister – All-League
Trevor Mercier – All-League
Frank Moscatiello – All-League
Tyler Piccolo – All-County, All-League
Dan Soranno – Academic All-League
Boys Lacrosse
Nicholas Accardi – All-County,
All-Division
Alex Borja – Rookie of the Year
Sean Gifford – All-Division
Girls Lacrosse
Shannon Abernathy– All-Division
Ashley Faulhaber – All-Division
Adriana Greco – All-Tournament
Alyssa Guido – All-County
Kristen LoManto – All-Division
Kristine Loscalzo – All-County
Alyssa Milano – All-County
Brittany Rinaldi – All-Tournament
Amanda Sanchez – All-Division
Jennifer Wandle – Unsung Hero
Softball
Annie Kennedy – All-County League
VI Pitcher of the Year, Co-Small School
Pitcher of the Year
Jessica Marcks – All-League
Alexa Mastando – All-Division
Tennis
Steven Kucharczyk – All-League
Brian Lounsbury – All-League
Sidarth Menon – All-League
Boys Track
Dennis Ak – All-League
Brandon Badillo – All-League
Kyle Berkoski – All-Division, All-League
Miguel Blandon – All-League
Kevin Brown – All-League
Peter Costa – All-League
William Danisi – All-League
Michael Franks – All-League
Nicholas Henninger – All-League
Dylan Magee – All-League
Charles Mcloon– All-League
Brayden Ohara– All-League
Ethan Riske – All-League
Connor Voss – All-League
Marc Winters – All-League
Girls Track
Cassandra Costarelli – All-League
Caitlin Craig – All-League
Kaitlyn McDonald – All-League
Taylor Ricker – All-League
Angela Torriero – All-League
Jessie Vessichio – All-League
Honored For Sportsmanship
At the end of June, four Rocky Point Middle School sports teams were
praised for the character traits they displayed during the spring season and
received sportsmanship awards. Congratulations to the following teams and
their coaches:
MS Boys Baseball (White) - Coach Anthony Dilorenzo
MS Boys Tennis - Coach Joe Settepani
MS Boys Track - Coach Jim McCormick
MS Girls Track - Coach Pat Panella
Rocky Point High School Class of 2013 graduate Matthew Amoscato
was named one of Long Island’s 2013 Golden 11 by the National Football
Foundation. Earlier this year, each high school football coach submitted
their selection for this prestigious award, and the top 11 students were
recognized for their ability on the field and their scholarly dedication in the
classroom.
In the Zone
In recognition of their outstanding leadership and excellence in the
area of physical education, four district students were named Outstanding
Physical Education Student Leadership Award winners in the sixth annual
Suffolk Zone elementary and middle school physical education leadership
awards program. This year’s honorees were Joseph A. Edgar Intermediate
School students Tyler Kotarski and Clare Levy and Rocky Point Middle
School students Christina Ferrara and Brian Forbes. These students were
selected by their physical education teachers for this recognition because
they are role models in class
and exemplify what the award
stands for. The criteria for this
award are based on three New
York State Learning Standards:
personal health and fitness, a safe
and healthy environment, and
resource management.
All-Stars on and off the Court
As a result of their hard work and dedication to achieving athletic and
academic excellence, four Rocky Point High School spring athletic teams
earned the Scholar-Athlete Team Award from the New York State Public
High School Athletic Association. This honor is presented to New York
State teams who possess a cumulative GPA of 90 percent or better.
A total of 18 Rocky Point teams were bestowed with this honor during
the 2012-2013 school year. Congratulations to the following spring teams
and their coaches on this achievement:
TEAM GPA COACH
Girls Track
95.098
John Mattia and Joseph Camarda
Boys Track
94.488 Chris Donadoni and Anthony Marchetta Girls Lacrosse
91.194 Daniel Spallina and Sara Davis
Boys Tennis
90.736 James Buonconsiglio
Board of Education
Michael Nofi, President
Diane Burke, Vice President
John Lessler, Trustee
Scott Reh, Trustee Susan Y. Sullivan, Trustee
Superintendent of Schools
Dr. Michael F. Ring
District Mission Statement
www.rockypointschools.org
The mission of the Rocky Point Union Free School District is
to develop each child’s full potential in a nurturing and supportive
student-centered environment that will promote a foundation for
lifelong learning.