Middle Country Central School District in the Media

Middle Country Central School District’s Jericho Elementary School fourth grade students, in Mrs. Raynoha’s class, recently participated in the annual “Gift of Writing” celebration. Students invited their parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles to tour the classroom’s personal essay writing museum—a collection of literary works that the students have completed in recent months.

 

During the event, these young authors taught their families how to compose different types of literary works and the literary devices and elements connected to each style. The showcased work was displayed as wrapped holiday presents for family members to unwrap and discover. The District continues to host engaging after-school educational events, providing a platform for students to share their creative accomplishments.

 

 

Middle Country Central School District’s Unity Drive Pre-K/Kindergarten Center students are spreading holiday cheer this year with gifts to their parents, siblings—and planet earth. At the start of the 2018-2019 school year, Unity Drive implemented Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone’s Pilot School Recycling Program. Over the past four months,   1,385 pounds of paper has been recycled by the students, faculty and staff at the school. The school’s new emphasis on reducing, reusing and recycling has resulted in saving more than eleven trees.

 

The District, in conjunction with this new initiative, is teaching students of all ages the importance of recycling and its impact on the air we breathe, the animals in our ecosystem and for future generations. The efforts being made by the District’s youngest learners will continue to expand as they advance through the school system and become the leaders of tomorrow.

 

The Middle Country Central School District recently held a Letter of Intent Signing Day for the 15 Middle Country 12^th grade students who have committed to play collegiate-level sports at top-tier universities during the 2019-2020 academic year. The students from Centereach High School and Newfield High School were joined by their families, coaches and school administrators as they formally accepted admission to the college of their choice. The student-athletes, who wore apparel representing the school they will be attending, included:

 

Centereach High School:

• Sydney Juvelier – lacrosse at Pace University.
• Sophie Alois – lacrosse at Cornell University.
• Jennifer Sommer – lacrosse at Pace University.
• Emily Timarky – lacrosse at Quinnipiac University.
• Ryan Mahnke – baseball at Queens College.
• Jennifer Barry – lacrosse at Boston University.
• Chris Iguchi – golf at Farmingdale State College.

 

Newfield High School:

• Amanda Scarfogliero – bowling at Molloy College.
• Michael Manzolillo – baseball at St. Joseph’s College.
• Nina Oddo – lacrosse at Molloy College.
• Robert Smith – lacrosse at LIU Post.
• Hailey Grau – lacrosse at St. Bonaventure.
• Sydney Corley – lacrosse at Mercy College.
• Erik Worsoe – lacrosse at St. Joseph’s College.
• Chandler Giovinco – baseball at Hofstra University.

 

Middle Country School District’s Centereach High School sophomore Robert Montano has been selected to perform in the Radio City Christmas Spectacular. Robert is the first student to ever be asked to perform in the show in back-to-back years and the only student-performer from Long Island in this year’s show.

 

Robert will be performing in select shows every day of the week in the role of Patrick—excluding Tuesdays—until New Year’s Eve. Acting has been part of Robert’s life since he first performed in musicals at Dawnwood Middle School and then at Centereach High School. He has also been an active member in the District’s band and chorus programs since the fourth grade.

 

The Middle Country School District is proud to have a member of its student body be recognized as a star performer in one of the most renowned holiday shows in the country. The District is committed to providing all its students opportunities to showcase their talents whether it be through the arts, athletics or academics.

 

For more information about the full range of academic, music, art, athletic, and extracurricular activities and programs available in the Middle Country School District as well as a calendar of events, please visit www.mccsd.net.

 

Recently, a group of twenty students from Leaders, DECA and video clubs at Newfield High School volunteered their time to help build and repair houses for Habitat for Humanity. Newfield High School students spent most of their day in masks and utility belts stripping down a house of old materials including insulation and foam board. Students spent five hours working together to improve a community and to make a difference. Their volunteerism assisted in Habitat for Humanity’s effort to build 10-12 homes per year in Suffolk County.

 

Habitat for Humanity is a nonprofit charity focused on providing housing to the disadvantaged, with a focus on communities impacted by natural disasters and those targeted for community revitalization. The Middle Country School District is incredibly proud of this group of 20 students who volunteered their time to give back to the community. Through opportunities like these, Middle Country provides its students with ways to not only be successful in the classroom, but also be well-rounded citizens.

 

For more information about the Middle Country School District and a calendar of events, please visit www.mccsd.net.

 

 

The Middle Country Central School District’s Centereach High School recently transformed into a haunted house, where elementary school students from throughout the District enjoyed an annual Trick-or-Treat Street event. High school students, clubs and the PTSA decorated the classrooms and dressed in costume to haunt the halls while elementary school students stopped by each classroom to collect candy, play games, complete crafts and more.
The event provides a safe environment in which students can partake in Halloween traditions that eliminates the risk of students going up to unknown residences. In addition, students representing all four grades, the Best Buddies club, DECA club, Math, Music, Theater Arts, Varsity sports and National Honor Society helped collect non-perishable food items from attendees to support the school’s annual Thanksgiving Food Drive.

 

Middle Country Central School District continues to bring students of all ages together for community-oriented, District-wide events. 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/.

 

 

Middle Country School District Centereach High School students Jason Calderone and Abigail Zerbe each participated in an entrepreneurship competition at LIU Post recently. The two high school students competed against 1,500 students from 60 other high schools in the Elevator Pitch Contest. The event was sponsored by LIU Post and Virtual Enterprises International at the Business and Entrepreneurship Leadership Conference.

 

Participating students were tasked with presenting a 30 second pitch for a newly-created business to a 600-person crowd of peers and panel of regional business leaders and entrepreneurs. Jason pitched his company “Rapid Brew.” Abigail pitched her company “What’s in the Box?” Both placed in the top 13 out of 90 students to make it to the finalist round.

 

The Middle Country School District congratulates both students on outstanding performances at the Elevator Pitch Contest. For more information about academic programs available at the Middle Country School District and a calendar of events, please visit www.mccsd.net.

 

Centereach High School student Abigail Zerbe pitches her company, “What’s in the Box?” to the audience at the Elevator Pitch Contest at LIU Post.

The Middle Country Central School District announced its October Students of the Month at its recent Board of Education meeting. Centereach High School student Andrew Colletti, Newfield High School student Samantha Varone, Dawnwood Middle School student Kaitlyn Ippolito and Selden Middle School student Delaney Unger were all celebrated for their outstanding academic achievement, abundant extracurricular participation and providing an overall positive impact on their individual schools and entire community.

 

“Month after month, we have the incredible opportunity to celebrate four students who emulate the positive values and hard work of the entire Middle Country student body,” said Superintendent of Schools Dr. Roberta Gerold. “We are thrilled to once again honor students who go above and beyond in the classroom, inside their respective school and throughout their surrounding communities— a representation of what all Middle Country educators seek to instill in our students.”

 

Centereach High School senior Andrew Colletti is the perfect example of a multi-talented student. Andrew has a GPA of 94.8 and is currently enrolled in five college level classes in addition to physical education and the Philharmonic orchestra. Andrew is a star in the classroom, is an active member of the National Honor Society and Spanish Honor Society, and   a star on the football field where he is a Suffolk County All-Division player. Andrew is a leader on the tennis court as well, where he was recognized by Suffolk County coaches for his outstanding sportsmanship.

 

Samantha Varone from Newfield High School has been recognized for both her scholarly and volunteer work. Samantha will graduate this June with 36 college credits, along with several other distinctions. The Newfield High School senior is the General Organization vice president, the treasurer of the environmental club, a member of the National Honor Society, a girl scout with a gold star, and an active member of the Make-a-Wish Foundation.

 

What makes Samantha so remarkable is that it has not always been such an easy road for her. Samantha had brain surgery in 2010 to help overcome moyamoya, a rare brain disease that narrows the blood vessels in the brain. Samantha plans to continue to give back to children in the future—planning to pursue a career as a special education teacher.

 

Dawnwood Middle School eighth grader Kaitlyn Ippolito is a distinguished scholar-athlete. Kaitlyn’s current cumulative GPA is 99.5. She is a three-sport athlete, participating as a doubles player in varsity tennis, a member of the junior varsity basketball team, and a member of the varsity lacrosse team. Kaitlyn has been nominated for the Student of the Month honor by her teachers during every month of sixth and seventh grades.

 

Selden Middle School eighth grader Delaney Unger has faced adversity head-on and has continued to shine in the classroom. When Delaney was in sixth grade she was diagnosed with osteosarcoma, a rare type of bone cancer. Delaney returned to school last year after winter recess, and has maintained a 95 academic average through it all. She has become an activist for raising awareness for childhood cancer—traveling to Washington D.C. to speak with the staff of numerous members of Congress.

 

For more information regarding Middle Country Central School District and its students’ many achievements, please visit the District’s website: http://www.middlecountry.k12.ny.us.

 

Centereach High School senior Andrew Colletti.

Newfield High School senior Samantha Varone.

Dawnwood Middle School eighth grade student Kaitlyn Ippolito.

Selden Middle School eighth grade student Delaney Unger.

The Middle Country Central School District recently launched its Trayless Tuesday program which removes Styrofoam lunch trays from cafeterias, and replaces them with ‘paper boat’ trays, at Jericho Elementary School, Selden Middle School and Dawnwood Middle School on Tuesdays during the 2018-2019 school year. This environmentally-conscious program was initiated following last year’s successful capstone project by Mrs. Katherine MacDonald’s fifth grade students at Jericho Elementary School that earned a $50,000 grant from New York State Assemblyman Steven Englebright to implement.

 

“The years spent in elementary school are an extremely formative time during a student’s educational journey. From learning their letters and numbers in kindergarten to becoming engaged and thoughtful community members, it is incredible to witness this progression,” stated Superintendent of Schools Dr. Roberta Gerold. “The completion of this trajectory is perfectly captured during our fifth grade students’ capstone project—utilizing their years of education, teamwork skills and their observations of the world around them to effect meaningful change.”

 

Last year, the fifth grade students in Mrs. Katherine MacDonald’s class began to conduct research on the Styrofoam lunch trays that are a staple of cafeterias across the nation. During their research they discovered the harmful effects that Styrofoam has on the environment: 2.3 million tons of the non-biodegradable Styrofoam ends up in landfills each year. It is extremely harmful for animals’ digestion tracks and it releases chemicals that pollute the air we breathe and the earth’s atmosphere.

 

“When the students began to discover the damaging effects that these trays—which are used for less than 30 minutes and then disposed of—have on our environment for decades and even centuries to come, they were immediately invested in this as their project and truly put their hearts into its success,” stated Jericho Elementary School Principal Glen Rogers. “This became less of a classroom project for them and more of a mission.”

 

In June, the now sixth grade students presented their findings and caught the attention of local leaders including Assemblyman Englebright. Following a secondary presentation by the students, Englebright granted the District $50,000 to conduct a program that would begin to remove Styrofoam trays from District schools. The initial grant has provided funds to provide ‘paper boat’ trays one day a week to Jericho Elementary School, where the program initiated, and the two District middle schools, where the students behind the program now attend.

 

“The students didn’t stop at researching the impact that Styrofoam has globally but also learned that our cafeteria uses roughly 275 Styrofoam trays a day,” added MacDonald. “Their proactive stance on limiting that amount has produced real change in the Middle Country community that will continue into future years. I am extremely proud of my students’ accomplishments and know they will continue to excel as they begin their new chapter in middle school.”

 

For more information about academic programs available in the Middle Country School District and a calendar of events, please visit www.mccsd.net.

 

 

Middle Country Central School District’s Centereach High School senior Erin Metzendorf was recently recognized by the Long Island Arts Alliance as the Long Island Scholar Artist in Dance. Erin, one of two students to win this award in Suffolk County, is the first Middle Country Central School District student to be recognized for this honor. .

 

Erin, her family, and Centereach High School music teacher Mr. Brian Hough, who nominated her for the award, will attend a Long Island Arts Alliance reception later this year at the Tilles Center, where Erin will be presented with $250 scholarship. The District continues to provide its students with opportunities to participate in art, music and theater programs and looks forward to students’ regional recognitions in the arts throughout the school year.

 

For more information about academic programs available at the Middle Country School District and a calendar of events, please visit www.mccsd.net.