Middle Country Central School District in the Media

Unity Drive Pre-K/Kindergarten Center Combines Health and Safety for Physical Education

Middle Country Central School District’s Unity Drive Pre-K/Kindergarten Center students recently learned what to do in a fire emergency in a way that exercised their minds and bodies. During physical education classes students took part in different activities meant to simulate such actions as extinguishing a fire, crawling out from under a house filled with smoke while also perfecting the stop, drop and roll procedure. The program, facilitated by the school’s physical education teacher Rollin Haffer, aims to educate students about fire safety while improving stamina, and motor skills.

Unity Drive Pre-K/Kindergarten Center Students Learn the Importance Election Day and Vote for the “First” Pet

Middle Country Central School District’s Unity Drive Pre-K/Kindergarten Center students recently learned about the voting process to celebrate the results of Election Day. The pre-kindergarten students first discussed who the next president was and voted on what the type of pet President Trump should bring into the White House. Students filled out ballots for either a dog or a cat, received an “I voted” sticker, and counted the ballots to determine the winning pet.

Centereach High School hosts Trick-or-Treating in the Halls for Elementary Children

The Middle Country Central School District’s Centereach High School recently transformed into a haunted house for elementary school students to celebrate Halloween. At this Annual Trick-or-Treat Street event, high school students and faculty dressed in costume to haunt the halls while elementary school students visited each classroom to collect candy, play games, complete crafts and more. The classrooms had been decorated by Centereach High School students and teachers according to a range of Halloween themes to entertain the younger students and demonstrate school pride.

Some of the decoration themes include Carnival/Mardi Gras, Disney, Zombies and Pirates. The event provided a safe environment in which students can partake in Halloween traditions that eliminates the risk of students going up to unknown residences.

Students representing all four classes, the Art Club, the Best Buddies club, DECA club, Math, Music, Theater Arts, Varsity sports and National Honor Society also collected non-perishable food items from attendees to support the school’s annual Thanksgiving Food Drive.

Oxhead Road Elementary School recently turned orange and black in celebration of Halloween. Students and teachers dressed up for a day of festivities that included reading Halloween stories in class, writing stories and crafting spooky Halloween art projects.

Pre-kindergarten students in the Middle Country Central School District recently took a field trip to the Middle Country Public Library with their parents to improve literacy and learn their way around a library.

During the visit, the students read a story and made crafts, while their parents received a tutorial focusing on the library’s resources that benefit young children. The students then registered for their very own library cards so they can take full advantage of the learning opportunities available to them.

Newfield High School Senior Honored At Half Hollow Hills East Award Ceremony

Newfield High School senior Tyler Berns was recently named a Merit Scholar Artist by the Long Island Arts Alliance. After an extensive evaluation process—including a video portfolio and New York State School Music Association (NYSSMA) All-State performances—Tyler was recognized for his percussion skills on snare drum, mallets, multiple percussion and timpani. Tyler was one of three music students recognized in Suffolk County for excelling as both a scholar and musician. He was honored at an award ceremony at Half Hollow Hills High School East in Dix Hills, NY, and will participate in an end-of-the-year reception at the Tilles Center for the Performing Arts in June.

Long Island Arts Alliance (LIAA), in collaboration with Newsday, New York Community Bank Foundation, and Long Island’s school art administrators, have hosted this award ceremony since its inception in 2007. The LIAA Scholar-Artist Awards Program is designed to honor Long Island students considered to be “the best of the best” in both academics and arts. All Long Island high schools, private, public and parochial are invited to nominate up to five students, one in each of the judged disciplines: Music, Visual Arts, Media Arts, Theater and Dance. Ten students from Nassau County and ten students from Suffolk County are chosen as winners.

The Middle Country Central School District (MCCSD) is excited to announce that four new administrators have joined the District staff this fall. Adele Cullen will serve as Coordinator of PPS/Special Education in Secondary Education, Marie Moran will serve as Coordinator of PPS/Special Education in Elementary Education, Peter Desjardins will serve as Coordinator of District Data Services and Rachel Ndembera will serve as Coordinator of Science/Research K-12.

 

“It is with great pride that we welcome these four dedicated administrators to our District,” said Dr. Roberta Gerold, Superintendent of Schools. “We continuously strive to bring the best experiences and support to our students throughout their educational careers, and these new members of our team will help achieve this goal.”

 

Adele Cullen attended Touro College where she earned her Master of Science in School District/School Building. As a school psychologist at Newfield High School, she has positively affected innumerable students these past six years and will continue to do so as she brings her passion and keen understanding of student’s strengths and needs to the team of administrators.

 

Marie Moran graduated from Hofstra University with a Master of Science in Special Education and holds an Advanced Graduate Certificate in School Building Leadership from Queens College. She gained experience as a special education coordinator at a K-8 school district in Queens before she joined MCCSD’s administrative team. Marie is passionate about providing high quality special education and is committed to supporting the needs of all students.

 

Peter Desjardins will be responsible for utilizing student data to aid teachers in providing individualized instruction to students. Peter graduated cum laude from Stony Brook University with a Bachelor of Arts in Social Science Education, and gained his Masters in Liberal Arts from Stony Brook as well. He plans to use his experiences as a student data expert at Eastern Suffolk BOCES to provide a one of a kind learning experience for MCCSD students.

 

Rachel Ndembera earned a degree in Geology and Astronomy from the University of Colorado in Boulder and served in the Peace Corps, during which she worked with Botswanna’s Ministry of Education Department of Curriculum Development and Evaluation. There, she oversaw the design and implementation of a curriculum program in Molepolole, one of Botswanna’s largest villages. She hopes to continue in assisting students make sure they have the necessary tools to achieve high quality research education.

 

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

Dawnwood Middle School’s grounds were filled with more than 100 American flags in memory of the fallen heroes and victims of the attacks on September 11, 2001. The entire school building, including students and staff wore red, white and blue to show their patriotism and all participated in a moment of silence.

 

 

The Middle Country Central School District recently announced several new and exciting programs to engage the students throughout the Centereach and Selden communities for the 2016-2017 school year. The new programs—including specialized music, art and math curriculum for kindergarten students as well as extra physics classes and the introduction of a Capstone Project—are made possible by the District’s strategic budgeting practices and careful financial planning. The academic improvements are meant to prepare students for life at the next level.

 

“At Middle Country, we are dedicated to educating ‘the whole child.’ We are proud of the many programs we have put in place this year that will help provide students with the resources to excel in the classroom and in the community,” said Dr. Roberta Gerold, Superintendent of Schools. “These brand new classroom offerings will challenge our students to think critically and prepare them for successful futures beyond the classroom.”

 

During the first day of school, students throughout the District took advantage of the many new opportunities provided by the District.  Kindergarten students from Unity Drive Pre-K/Kindergarten Center participated in the new art and music classes as well as their math literacy program. These initiatives are intended to introduce students to essential Science Technology Engineering and Math (STEM) concepts.

 

Other students are also experiencing the excitement of new programs as fifth grade students throughout the District embarked on a newly introduced Capstone Project. The Capstone Project is a two-semester independent research project that spans fifth through twelfth grade. Designated time for research is granted to seventh and eighth grade students and the eighth graders will now be able to participate in physics classes.

 

Outside of the classroom, other exciting news is underway, such as completed projects from the District’s 2015 Bond Referendum. At the beginning of this school year students and staff benefitted from the completion of roof replacements, security vestibules, high school track resurfacing, the installation of Smartboards in the classrooms and new buses and two-student vans.

 

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

 

Middle Country Central School District Students Participate in 13^th Annual Middle Country Public Library Music Competition

Four Middle Country Central School District (MCCSD) students recently won a music competition, “Island Idol,” sponsored by the Middle Country Public Library.The event featured performances by 21 talented students from throughout the District. The contest was judged by Middle Country Central School District alumnus Victor LaBozzetta, who is currently a student at Rochester University’s Eastman School of Music, and Middle Country Central School District music teachers Dan Martinez and Steve Normandeau.

Newfield High School (NHS) sophomore Kathleen Flaccomio won best solo vocal/dance performance and NHS senior Katelyn Costa finished in second place. In addition, Dawnwood Middle School (DMS) seventh grade student Grace Miller won for best musician/band performance and DMS eighth grade student Robert Montano finished in second place.

The event was intended to provide students an opportunity to showcase their musical abilities for a live audience, as they prepare to begin the 2016-2017 school year.