Middle Country Central School District in the Media

Recently, members of the Centereach High School LGBTQ+ Club and the Centereach National Tech Honor Society volunteered their time for Habitat for Humanity. The students dedicated their day at the job site and helped with various tasks in finishing the house being built in Shirley, New York.

“Time and time again, our students never cease to amaze me with their compassion and passion for giving back to our community,” said Superintendent of Schools Dr. Roberta Gerold. “I am incredibly proud of this group of young, selfless individuals who dedicated their time. Great job everyone!”

Habitat for Humanity is a global non-profit housing organization that works with local communities across all 50 states in the U.S. as well as in about 70 countries. Habitat for Humanity’s vision is “a world where everyone has a decent place to live.”

The Middle Country Central School District is proud to recognize two middle school students—Julia Zabinsky and Liana Chivu—as students of the month for May. The two students were recognized for their academic excellence, participation in school activities and clubs, and brilliant attitudes.

“It is with great enthusiasm that I acknowledge Julia Zabinsky and Liana Chivu for their academic success and distinguished character,’ said Dr. Roberta Gerold, superintendent of Middle Country Central School District. “It is an honor to have the opportunity to watch the growth of these two students, who are positive role models for their peers. I can’t wait to see their journey in high school in the coming years.”

Selden Middle School eighth-grade student Julia Zabinsky was nominated as student of the month for her maturity, intelligence, and positive attitude every day. Julia’s unmatched work ethic is shown through her meticulous lab work and constant desire to complete extra credit assignments, despite having a perfect grade score of 100 for the quarter. Julia also had a perfect 100 each quarter in her living environment class. 

Although Julia is a strong student academically, she is much more than her grades. Julia is devoted to community service and helping others. She is a Junior Environmental Steward with the Town of Brookhaven and has helped with clean-ups and wildlife preservation on south shore beaches. These projects helped save diamondback terrapin turtles who have been consuming litter and are in danger as they move about crossing roads.  Julia also enjoyed helping with the Happy Hearts project in which she assisted special needs students with their sewing.

Julia is also a lover of animals, especially those that are challenged.  She has adopted three special needs cats, two of whom are blind and the third who is partially blind. She also appeared on television during the Kitten Bowl which airs on Super Bowl Sunday to advocate for special needs animals. Julia’s dream is to become a veterinarian one day.

 Dawnwood Middle School seventh-grade student Liana Chivu was nominated as student of the month for her great respect for her fellow classmates and her remarkable spark for learning and education. She is an active member of the classroom as she helps her friends and contributes her thoughts, ideas, answers, and questions.

Liana is a member and the president of the Dawnwood National Junior Honor Society. She is involved in many clubs and activities at Dawnwood including Peer Leadership Club, Technology Club, American Sign Language Club, and Drama Club. Liana is also a member of the Competitive Sachem Swim Club and devotes many of her lunch periods to volunteering at the school store.  Liana’s overall average for her sixth grade school year was 99.67 and her average for this school year is 98.8. She plays clarinet in the Dawnwood band and often works with students in her ENL afterschool study sessions. She has career hopes of working in the field of space exploration.

The Middle Country Central School District has officially named its top scholars for the Class of 2022. Centereach High School announced Nicholas Matter and Isabella Fiore as valedictorian and salutatorian, respectively, and Newfield High School announced Dora John and Abu Kalam will be valedictorian and salutatorian, respectively, for the Class of 2022.

Centereach High School valedictorian Nicholas Matter is an exceptional and well-rounded student. Upon graduation, he will have completed 12 AP courses with an additional two college-level courses, allowing him to enter college with more than 40 college credits. Nicholas has never received a score of less than a 4 on any AP test.

Nicholas is a member of the National Honor Society, Tri-M Honor Society, Jazz Band, and the school’s math team, of which he was president last year. He is also an accomplished musician, scoring a perfect six on his most recent New York State School Music Association (NYSSMA) solo, and has participated in Suffolk County Music Educators’ Association (SCMEA) performances for the past six years. Nicholas is also a strong athlete. He has been a valuable member of the varsity soccer team for the last two years. He was recognized by Suffolk County as an All-Academic player this past season. Nicholas has worked at Brookhaven National Lab, where, through their mentoring program, he developed a tool used by other developers to automate testing. The valedictorian has been accepted and will attend Binghamton University in the fall where he will study computer science. Nicholas boasted a weighted GPA of 102.7.

Centereach High School salutatorian Isabella Fiore is an involved student in her school and community as well as maintaining a stunning academic record. By the end of the school year, she will have completed 11 AP courses along with an additional three college-level courses.

Isabella is a member of the National Honor Society, National Art Honor Society, Italian Honor Society, National Technical Honor Society, Distributive Education Clubs of America ( DECA), Environmental Club, and the History Club. She has been a cross country runner, twirls baton, and is a competitive swimmer and lifeguard. Isabella is well known throughout Centereach High School as a talented artist. She has taken elective classes such as fashion design, crafts I and II, and advanced drawing and paintings. After graduation, Isabella plans to focus on her goal of becoming a doctor. She has been accepted to Nova Southeastern University’s Honors College as a neuroscience major. She received dual admission to Dr. Kiran Patel Medical School to pursue her goals. Isabella boasted a weighted GPA of 101.8.

Newfield High School valedictorian Dora John is an academic, extra-curricular, and volunteering superstar. She is the president of the World Language Honor Society, president of G.O, president of the Newfield Wolverine Newspaper, and treasurer of the National Art Honor Society. The valedictorian is a member of the varsity fencing team, mock trial team, National Honor Society, SADD Club, and Thespian Honor Society, and sits on the Middle Country Legislative Assembly.

Dora volunteered as a techno buddy, a book buddy, and an art buddy through the Middle Country Public Library. She currently sits on the teen advisory council of the public library, serves as a teen book reviewer for the library, and is a hospital volunteer at Stony Brook University Hospital. In the fall, Dora will be attending Cornell University as a Human Biology, Health and Society major. She boasted a weighted GPA of 103.3542 and has the potential to graduate next month with more than 50 college credits.

Newfield High School salutatorian Abu Kalam locked in the number two spot earning him a salutatorian title with a weighted 101.3625 GPA. At the end of his high school journey, Abu will have two college-level and 14 advanced placement classes which combined a total of more than 50 college credits.

Abu has been a member of the varsity tennis team, National Technical Honor Society, National Honor Society, secretary of DECA, and president of the 2022 Senior Class. Outside of school, he earned the Gold Presidential Volunteer Service Award for completing 100 hours of community service at Stony Brook University Hospital. In addition, Abu interned through Perry Gershon’s and Jackie Gordon’s campaigns for congress. Abu is set for Honors College at Stony Brook University in the fall. He will be majoring in economics with the long-term goal of consulting and then entering the world of politics.

Recently, Career and Technical Education students and teachers participated in the community festival organized by the Middle Country Chamber of Commerce. “Students, staff, and community members had an incredible time at the Middle Country Community Fair and Music Festival,” said Dr. Roberta Gerold, Superintendent of Schools. “In addition to providing our students an opportunity to demonstrate their skills and knowledge to the entire community, the day was a wonderful chance for family and friends to get together, enjoy the warm weather, and engage in some educational activities.”

The District’s Robotics team assembled field tiles and a perimeter for the actions of their robots. Fairgoers had the opportunity to learn about the programming and building of a competitive Vex robot. Robotics team members demonstrated their skills and then festival attendees were given the opportunity to operate the robots as they navigated different skill challenges. 

Newfield Cosmetology students were also at the festival, demonstrating various hair cutting techniques and stylings on mannequins. Attendees were treated to hair braiding and quick and trendy updos. 

Family and Consumer Science students from the Child Development program worked with younger attendees to create coloring activities, make friendship bracelets, and participate in interactive games. The high school students used their knowledge of the stages of child development to effectively work with each child that participated. In addition, poster boards of different student Capstone projects, STEM activities, and literacy initiatives were on display. Haggerty’s Crew advised by Ms. Haggerty, Selden Middle School’s Life Skills teacher provided a collage of various activities they’ve participated in, and the Life Skills students created a project board display of activities in the PAES Lab, Cougar Café, work-study, and garden activities.

Congratulations to Newfield High School senior, Arabel Rodriguez, on being recognized as a Long Island Arts Alliance (LIAA) Merit Scholar Artist in Music. 

Arabel was recognized for her achievements at the recent LIAA ceremony held at the Tilles Center for the Performing Arts at Long Island University. She is one of the very few students who was selected on Long Island based on her high academic achievements, impressive music portfolio, and glowing teacher recommendations. 

“We are incredibly proud of Arabel and her accomplishments,” said Dr. Roberta Gerold, superintendent of schools. “A special thanks to her orchestra teacher, Mr. Dan Martinez for being her mentor and fueling her passion for music!”

Formed in 2003, LIAA is an alliance of and for the region’s not-for-profit arts, culture, and arts education organizations. Its mission is to “promote awareness of and participation in Long Island’s world-class arts and cultural institutions”. LIAA offers guidance and various support services to arts organizations and serves as an advocate for arts education in schools.

On Monday, April 4, the Middle Country Boys Varsity Lacrosse team collaborated with the Special Education Department to host a Goals of Giving event at  Centereach High School. The team played against the Boys Varsity Lacrosse team from North Babylon.

“Our athletes, students, and staff members did an amazing job spreading the word and raising funds to help our students with disabilities,” said Dr. Roberta Gerold, superintendent of schools. “This is what our school district is about, coming together to give back to our community. It was  heartwarming to see all those who took the time to participate and help make this event possible!”

The money raised at the Goals of Giving event will go to build communication boards for Stagecoach Elementary School, Eugene Auer Memorial Elementary School, North Coleman Road Elementary School, and Hawkins Path Elementary School. The communication boards will be placed in the schools’ playgrounds for students with disabilities. These boards will help non-verbal students communicate with their peers and teachers while promoting an inclusive environment for all. Many of these students rely on an electronic device to communicate their wants and needs and the boards will allow them to play in their school’s playground when their own devices are not easily accessible. The Goals of Giving event raised a total of $8,730.65.

Newfield High School Theatre Arts students recently completed their four performances of The Little Mermaid musical, based on a Disney 1989 animated fantasy musical film. 

The Little Mermaid, a Disney classic adored by all, is a story about a mermaid named Ariel, who fell in love with a human prince named Eric. She dreams about becoming a human and makes a magic deal with Ursula who is a sea witch to become a human to be with him. The film teaches the audience that no dream is too big or small.

“Great job to these students who put in so much time and effort to perfect their roles,” said Dr. Roberta Gerold, superintendent of schools. “Everything about these performances was incredible, from the music, the acting, the dancing, the singing, and the production values. It never ceases to amaze us how professional our theatre students are!”

The Newfield High School Theatre Arts is made up of students who are passionate about performing and the rich history of theatre. Students in the theatre arts learn about acting, production, movement, dance, and musical theatre. In addition to their community performances, The Little Mermaid cast visited all the elementary and middle schools throughout the district to put a smile on the students’ faces. Prior to the Sunday matinee, the cast participated in a free meet and greet as their community outreach which included a children’s book fair fundraiser for the Newfield Newspaper. Everyone who attended had a great time meeting the characters while browsing the books to purchase.

“It is an extreme honor and privilege to work with the cast, pit, crew, and production staff of Disney’s The Little Mermaid,” said Joan Meichner, Director of the Newfield Musical. “Our theatre students are all heart and are so dedicated to their craft. I am beyond proud to be their director. We sold out at every performance!”

Centereach High School junior Finn Taich, Newfield High School junior Aamir Sheikh and Holbrook Road Elementary School fifth grade student Louis Weiss each won a $500 scholarship from the Suffolk County Music Educators’ Association (SCMEA) for their summer music private study.

The Suffolk County Music Educators’ Association (SCMEA) is made up of professional music educators and advocates throughout Suffolk County. SCMEA is a county affiliate of the New York State School Music Association (NYSSMA) and a state unit of the National Association for Music Education (NAfME). SCMEA scholarships are available for students who are in grades five through eleven and are interested in different summer private studies.

Finn, who won the Jon-Michael Lasher SCMEA Scholarship, plans to continue his musical studies with voice lessons. Aamir will continue with his violin lessons and Louis intends to continue developing his skills in percussion. Students were selected based on their competitive essays, high NYSSMA scores, and music teacher recommendations. Congratulations to the students and their teachers, Mr. Hough, Mr. Martinez, and Ms. Caliguri for nominating them!

Wonderful dancing. Inspired singing.  Exceptional acting. That was the experience for all who attended Centereach High School’s young thespians’ recent performances of High School Musical On Stage, a story based on the Disney Channel’s original movie.

“I am extremely proud of our Centereach High School’s performers and the commitment they have for refining their craft,” said Dr. Roberta Gerold, superintendent of schools. “It was truly an all-hands-on-deck production. It was great to see the collaborative work amongst our student performers, the student crew, and our faculty to ensure these performances were not only successful but awe-inspiring to watch.” 

The show was filled with numerous dance numbers and catchy songs such as Get’cha Head in the Game, Bop to the Top, We’re All in This Together, and Breaking Free that had the audiences on the edge of their seats! High School Musical On Stage is basically a modern-day Grease musical about the hardships of high school, young love, and staying true to oneself.

“Our students never fail to amaze us with their dedication and their passion for theatre,” said music teacher Brian Hough, who directed the play. “It was exhilarating to have live performances again!  Great job everyone!”

 Newfield High School and Centereach High School students recently attended the SkillsUSA competition held at Suffolk Community College Brentwood Campus this year. Three students from Newfield High and four from Centereach High took part in the competition. Juniors and seniors competed separately.

While all Middle Country students performed admirably, three Newfield students stood out in the competition. Ashley Walker, a Newfield junior, placed first in the Junior Cosmetology competition while Gianna Oliveri, another Newfield junior, placed third. Isabella Giordano, a Newfield senior, took second place in the Senior Cosmetology competition.

SkillsUSA is a nonprofit national education association in partnership with teachers, students, and industry working collaboratively to ensure that our country has a skilled and competent workforce. The organization works with middle school, high school, and college students to prepare them for careers in trade, technical, and skilled service occupations. SkillsUSA’s mission is to “empower its members to become world-class workers, leaders and responsible American citizens. We improve the quality of our nations’ future skilled workforce through the development of SkillsUSA Framework skills that include personal, workplace, and technical skills grounded in academics.”

“Congratulations to all of our students who participated,” said Dr. Roberta Gerold, superintendent of schools of the Middle Country Central School District. “I would like to extend a special thank you to the teachers who helped our young cosmetologists prepare for the competition.”