Month: December 2021

Recently, eight Middle Country Central School District senior athletes hit a major homerun as they prepare for life after high school. On Wednesday, November 10, Luke Ambrose, Alessandra Vidal, Dominick Persichilli, Burke Sheehan, Jadyn Lui, Jeremy Poggi, Justin Robbert, and Michael Hofmann took a major step in the direction of their futures by participating in the Letter of Intent Signing Ceremony.

“This is a major milestone for our student-athletes in their senior year who are looking to pursue higher education in addition to continuing their athletic careers,” said Dr. Roberta Gerold, Superintendent of Schools. “Congratulations to Luke, Alessandra, Dominick, Burke, Jadyn, Jeremy, Justin, and Michael on committing to their schools and taking that first step in this next chapter of their lives. The District can’t wait to cheer them on as they continue to succeed academically and athletically.”

In addition to being outstanding athletes, the combined average, weighted GPA of all eight student-athletes is an impressive 90.06. Next year, these students will begin their collegiate athletic careers at College of Staten Island, Molloy College, St. Thomas Aquinas, SUNY New Paltz, Stonybrook University, and Quinnipiac. Michael, Luke, and Jadyn will play soccer for their respective colleges, Alessandra will participate on Molloy College’s women’s field hockey team, Jeremy and Justin will join their respective college lacrosse teams, and Dominick and Burke will become proud members of their college baseball teams. Luke will be attending the College of Staten Island, Alessandra and Michael will attend Molloy College, Dominick and Jeremey will be going to St. Thomas Aquinas in the fall, Burke will be attending SUNY New Paltz, Jadyn will be attending Stonybrook University, and Justin will be attending Quinnipiac College in the fall.

For more information regarding the Middle Country Central School District and its students’ many achievements, please visit the district’s website: https://www.mccsd.net/.

###

For educators in the Middle Country Central School District, the academics of students are always a top priority, and the resources and programs the District provides are designed to augment student instruction. Part of a well-rounded academic experience includes taking care of one’s mental health. To that end, Melanie Maiorca, an orchestra teacher at Selden Middle School in the District has made a point of incorporating mindful practices into her daily lessons,  giving her students a safe space to articulate their feelings.

“Mrs. Maiorca is a credit to this profession, and her students are fortunate to have such an incredible teacher who has created a safe space for them to share their feelings and be entirely themselves,” said Dr. Roberta Gerold, superintendent of schools. “The Middle Country School District is proud to incorporate activities such as Mindful Moments to help supplement the daily learning happening inside the classroom.”

Mrs. Maiorca began Mindful Moments in September of 2019 when her students began expressing their desire to have an outlet to express and explore their feelings. At the end of every class, Mrs. Maiorca would turn on calming music and guide her students through a guided meditation practice. From there, the program expanded where she would ask students guided questions to help them address their feelings about how it feels to wake up early for school or what mental and social baggage they are carrying that they’d like to put down. When the pandemic started, Mrs. Maiorca recognized students’ need to have Mindful Moments more than ever and adapted the program for Google Meet. At any given time, over fifty students joined her for guided meditations and discussions. The program has allowed students to feel more confident and be more outspoken about their emotions and the unique experiences they’re each going through.

“As educators, the well-being and success of our students is why we come into work every day. We want to see our students thrive and reach their full potential and by incorporating Mindful Moments into the daily curriculum, I’ve noticed an unbelievable change in my students,” said Mrs. Maiorca. “This space has become one of healing and honesty for my students and I’m so happy to be able to provide that for them.”

For more information regarding the Middle Country Central School District and its students’ many achievements, please visit the district’s website: https://www.mccsd.net/.

###

The Middle Country Central School District is home to exemplary students whose accomplishments continuously deserve acknowledgment and celebration. Congratulations to Trinity Columbel, Dora John, and Julia Carter for being named the District’s students of the month in October. Trinity Columbel, Dora Johnson, and Julia Carter represent the core values of the Middle Country School District and it is with great pride that they are recognized as students of the month. 

“Trinity, Dora, Julia are wonderful examples of the smart, talented, and driven students teeming within our District,” said Dr. Roberta Gerold, Superintendent of Schools. “Celebrating the work and achievements of our students is one that we take great pride in. The District is inspired by the daily work put in by our students and the dedication to academics and extracurriculars displayed by these three wonderful students.”

Trinity is a talented, young musician. Her dedication to the bass has led to her participation in the Long Island String Festival Association Orchestra, and the Suffolk Country Music Educators Association Orchestra programs. Trinity is also the leader of her section in the Dawnwood Middle School Orchestra. In addition to her musical prowess, Trinity is a driven student whose hard work has afforded her with an overall GPA of 99.83. Newfield High School is proud to recognize Dora Johnson as its student of the month. Dora’s discipline and ability to successfully manage a rigorous course load as well as numerous extracurriculars epitomizes what it means to be student of the month. Dora’s weighted GPA of 103.3542 has placed her at the top of her class all while excelling in her extracurricular pursuits which include being a member of the varsity fencing team, the mock trial team, the Middle Country Legislative Assembly, the Thespian Honor Society, National Honor Society, president of The Newfield Wolverine Newspaper, and is President of the District Government Organization. Julia is a star student at Selden Middle School. Julia has made her classes a prime focus during her academic journey which led to her maintaining a yearly GPA of 99.9. In addition to being a member of the Home and Careers Club, Julia is an active member of the Drama Club where she works backstage during school productions. Julia plans to get even more involved this year by becoming an assistant coach for younger levels in basketball. The Middle Country School District is inspired by the strong work ethic and commitment to community that these young girls represent. 

For more information regarding the Middle Country Central School District and its students’ many achievements, please visit the district’s website: https://www.mccsd.net/.

###

The Middle Country School District has always made it a priority to provide its students with the most engaging academic experience possible. A positive academic experience begins with having the necessary materials to thrive inside and outside the classroom. Recently, social workers in the Middle Country Central School District hosted a backpack and supplies giveaway for students in need and it was a complete success!

“Everything we do is in service to our students in order to provide them with the tools and resources they need to succeed,” said Dr. Roberta Gerold, superintendent of schools. “We are grateful for the support and generous donations provided by our donors who made this giveaway possible.”

Due to an overwhelming amount of donations, this is the first year the Middle Country School District has hosted a supply and backpack giveaway wherein over 200 backpacks filled with school supplies were distributed. This event would not be possible without the contributions of the Stony Brook Staples, the Lions Club, and supportive community members. The success of this drive has encouraged future donations from several community stakeholders including Suffolk County Legislator Nick Caracappa. The District’s Social Worker Team Leader Moira Kochis was instrumental in the planning and implementation of this event which served so many students as she facilitated the receipt of donations.

In addition to the backpack/supply giveaway, Middle Country Central School District’s Social Work Department participates and spearheads several programs that serve the community. Such programs include Health Insurance Enrollment Informational Night, sponsored by Health First, which will take place Oct. 25, 2021, holiday gift drives, the promotion of local food banks in the area, along with the District’s Free Meal program.

For more information regarding the Middle Country Central School District and its students’ many achievements, please visit the district’s website: https://www.mccsd.net/.

###