volume 19 number 4 may 2013 great …...2013-2014 proposed tax levies district allowable rate...

Center Moriches UFSD529 Main StreetCenter Moriches, New York 11934

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Permit No. 7

In June of 2011, New York State’s elected of-fi cials created legislation that restricted how school districts (and municipalities) fi nanced their budgets. The tax levy cap legislation was drafted in response to repeated calls for tax relief from the taxpayers. This legislation is widely known as the “2 Percent Tax Cap.”

2013-2014 Proposed Tax LeviesDistrict Allowable Rate Proposed Tax (Tax Levy Cap) LevyCenter Moriches 2.48% 2.39%East Moriches 2.87% 2.87%Eastport South Manor 2.75% 2.75%William Floyd 3.79% 3.79%

Great News! Celebrating SUCCESS in Center MorichesClass of 2012 Advanced Regents Diploma Rate Increases Dramatically

Excerpted from an email Lynda Adams, Deputy Superintendent sent district-wide on May 2, 2013.On May 2 in Newsday, John Hildebrandt celebrated our success in Center Moriches. If you didn’t get a chance to see it, I quote, “The number of high school graduates earning advanced Regents diplomas has dropped on Long Island and statewide, raising doubts of progress in the state’s declared efforts to help more students become “college- and career-ready.” …Center Moriches has bucked the trend, increasing its numbers of graduates with advanced diplomas from 27 percent in 2010 to 43 percent last year.” This 59% increase in our students earning Advanced Regents Diplomas over two years, the greatest increase on Long Island (and possibly the state) is directly attributable to our entire educational community; from the kindergarten teacher who never gave up on having her children recognize patterns, to the third grade teacher who insisted all her students knew those times tables inside and out, to the librarian who sparked a love for independent reading, to the soccer coach who got all his team’s grades and insisted they go up during the season, to the middle school English teacher who taught even the most recalcitrant stu-dent to write a sonnet, to the high school math teacher who met with students on Saturdays in the public library, and everyone in between, we made a huge difference in the lives of our students. There is even more cause for celebration, not publicized in this article. In 2010, none of our special education students graduated with a Regents diploma. The class of 2012 saw 82% of our special education students graduate with a Regents diploma credential. Why? Because we believe, as a system, that our special needs students can reach the same high standards as our general education students as long as we provide them with the assistance they need to overcome their disabilities. Please let me thank you personally, for what you do each and every day for our students. Let us continue to raise the bar, and to have every student achieve to his/her potential.”

Inside! Special pull-out Inside! Special pull-out Voter’s Guide with all Voter’s Guide with all the budget facts.the budget facts.

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udgets.sponsepayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyereeeeee s.Percec nt

An email from Thomas Marzagalli, Center Moriches Teachers Association PresidentAfter reading Lynda’s note congratulating the District on the recent successes of the 2012 graduating class at Center Moriches, I couldn’t be any more proud, as both your colleague and your representative. Throughout my tenure at Center Moriches I have always believed that a show of mutual respect was the key to an effective work environment. I believe that this mutual respect has reached new heights in recent years, and I also believe that Lynda’s ‘kudos’ to you and to all who work in the Center Moriches Schools is a manifestation of the kind of respect that fosters success, both in the work place and with our students. As an educational community we have provided an environment that is built on the foundation of hard work and dedication, and the results bear witness to the fact that student success is on the rise. Newsday, so quick to highlight the controversy, has praised our district as one of the few moving in the right direction. This is not an accident or an anomaly, it is the result of the shared efforts of teachers, administrators, students and the whole of the Center Moriches community. We are making a difference, and we will continue to do so by chal-lenging each and every student to reach his or her full potential. I am proud to be leading a group of dedicated, hard-working teachers who put students fi rst every day. I applaud your hard work and dedication.

Our students continue to make great gains academically! As you can read in the emails sent to Center Moriches staff, we are all very proud of the recently published results from the New York State Report Card. This community continues to of-fer strong support for our programs and for student opportunities and advancement. Thank you! This issue is chock-full of success stories in the classroom and in the global community. The future holds unlimited possibilities for small and large victories for all of our chil-dren. Working together, we can ac-complish great things!

Fiscal Responsibility and the Tax Levy Cap

This title, as much as anything, has caused great confusion; it does not restrict proposed tax levies to 2 percent. What it does specify is that each district uses a

Continued on page 9

Volume 19 Number 4

The District NewsThe Newspaper of the Center Moriches School District

May 2013www.cmschools.org

http://www.cmschools.org

2 The District News May 2103


Board of EducationMr. Joseph W. McHeffey, President

Mrs. Wendy R. Turkington, Vice PresidentMr. Daniel Finnegan, Trustee

Mr. Thomas R. Hogan, TrusteeMrs. Heather Schaub-Magill, Trustee

Mrs. Patricia A. Galietta, District ClerkMs. Diane M. Smith, District Treasurer

AdministrationMr. Russell J. Stewart, Superintendent

Ms. Lynda G. Adams, Deputy SuperintendentMs. Carol M. Perkins CPA, School Business Offi cialMr. John W. Allen, Assistant to the Superintendent

Mr. Ricardo Soto, Director of Pupil ServicesMr. Jeremy Thode, Director of Health, Physical

Education, Business, Fine & Applied Arts and Athletics

Mr. Edward Casswell, High School PrincipalMrs. Raina Ingoglia, High School Assistant PrincipalMrs. Patricia Cunningham, Middle School PrincipalMrs. Kim Hardwick, Elementary School Principal

Mrs. Jacqueline Esp, Elementary Assistant Principal

ContactCenter Moriches

Union Free School District 529 Main Street

Center Moriches, NY 11934

Tel: (631) 878-0052Fax: (631) 878-4326

Editors-in-ChiefMr. Russell J. Stewart

Mr. John W. Allen

Layout DesignStarboard Media, Inc.

www.cmschools.org

Saying Farewell: Middle School Principal to Retire

What do you get when you cross a multiple-certifi ed teacher/administrator with a newly opened building and a staff of teachers, paraprofessionals, custodians, and cafeteria workers? You get Center Moriches Middle School and one indomi-table principal – Mrs. Patricia Cunning-ham. This year, after serving as the only principal at the middle school since its inception in 2003, Mrs. Cunningham is retiring. Mrs. Cunningham is a certifi ed as a reading teacher, a special education teacher, as well as for nursery, kindergar-ten, and grades 1-6. She is also a certifi ed school administrator and supervisor. Mrs. Cunningham began her career teaching both elementary and special edu-cation in parochial schools. She moved up as the Assistant Director of Special Edu-cation for Smithtown Schools. She came to Center Moriches Schools as the Direc-tor of Pupil Services in 1999. Mrs. Cun-ningham did a superb job supervising this growing program. However, as the dis-trict continued to grow and the commu-nity decided to build the Middle School, Mrs. Cunningham realized how much she missed being in contact with students – the reason she had really become an educator. In 2003, when the Middle School opened, Mrs. Cunningham became the very fi rst principal of the building. Since then, she has hand-picked the very special staff that makes this school an amazing place for our students. As you enter the building you can see the special care and passion Mrs. Cun-ningham has for the school. The colorful signs extolling the virtues of hard-work, compassion, good habits of mind and oth-er life lessons, are purchased by Mrs. Cun-ningham out of her own funds and hung to welcome back the students. Out in the hallway between classes, she greets chil-dren by name, asking about their families and other siblings she has had in her care. Each year she takes the 6th grade and the 8th grade to overnight experiences at Frost Valley and Washington D.C., giving our students unforgettable life experiences as they learn more about themselves and the country we live in. A few years ago, being the well-rounded educator that she is, Mrs. Cun-ningham wanted to encourage all students to do their best. She enjoyed celebrating the achievements and successes of our students who had earned the right to be

part of the National Junior Honor Society, and also the students who made honor roll and principal’s honor roll each marking period but she felt that she was still un-able to reach some kids who needed to be challenged. With these kids in mind, Mrs. Cunningham, extolling her faculty to challenge each student to do better than they ever had before, even if they didn’t necessarily make the kinds of grades that would earn them spots on the honor roll, she began the Smart Devils. This type of thinking outside of the box and continu-ally encouraging her students, faculty and staff, has put Center Moriches Middle School on the map as a great place for stu-dents to succeed. Mrs. Cunningham, although nervous about leaving behind this place that she loves so much, is looking forward to a full life during retirement. She is anticipating spending much more quality time with her daughter, Kathy and cannot wait to play the Grandma at all her granddaughter Natalie school events. A while ago, Mrs. Cunningham was training for ministry service, to help even more people who are in need and will perhaps continue to serve that way as well. In her spare time, you will be able to fi nd Mrs. Cunningham rid-ing her bike on the trails around Long Is-land. To our mentor, our leader, our friend; we will miss you, Mrs. Cunningham! We wish you a long and productive retirement!By: Lynda Adams, Deputy Superintendent

Patricia Cunningham


3The District NewsMarch 2013

MARCH STUDENTS OF THE MONTHMARCH STUDENTS OF THE MONTH

Assistant Principal, Ms. Ingoglia (on left) and Principal, Mr. Casswell (on right) congratulate Students of the Month for February and March. In photo, from left to right: Ashley, Art; Terrence, LOTE; AnnaMaria, English; James, Technology; Brandon, Guidance; Joseph, Science; John, Citizenship; Samantha, Business; Ed, Physical Education; Sabrina, Health; Rachel, Band; Carolyn, Chorus; and Kourtney, Mathematics. Not pictured is Nataya, Social Studies.

Maybe I’ll Be a Scientist! In April, our fi rst grade students ex-perienced the interactive, engaging, and fun “Be a Scientist” program at the Long Island Science Center in Riverhead. During their visit, students learned the differences between solids, liquids, and gases, made a polymer known as “ Phlubber,” and started a crystal garden that they were able to take home. The most exciting part of their expe-rience was the production of a particularly tasty crystallized concoction, better known as ice cream! The students were amazed by the ice cream making process and equally enjoyed both the making and eating of the ice cream. Students also had the opportunity to explore the hands-on museum experience at the L.I. Science Center. The students had a blast digging for fossils, completing puzzles and problem solving, and were fascinated by observing snakes and insects. It was a positive and motivating trip for everyone!

By: Cariann Cohn, First Grade Teacher


Center Moriches Technology Students Center Moriches Technology Students Continue to Continue to ShineShine at MAG-LEV Competition at MAG-LEV Competition

By: Dan Fournier, Technology Teacher Eighteen students from Mr. Fournier’s Technology classes competed in the 26th Annual Mag-Lev competition held at Brookhaven National Lab on March 20, 2013. Approximately 11 schools from across the Island competed for the top three places in seven different contest categories. The categories included: Appear-ance - Futuristic, Appearance – Scaled Model, Figure of Merit, Electrifi ed Track, Balloon Pow-ered, Wind Powered, and Self Propelled. In all of the catego-ries students had to adhere mag-nets to the underside of their cars that would repel the magnets that lined the track. If done properly, the cars would levitate about 1/4" above the track. This sounds sim-ple, but if the vehicles magnets are not directly over those on the track they will try to fl ip over, thus pushing the car against the side rail and causing a great deal of friction. Once the problem of levitating the car was solved, the students had to choose a category in which to compete. The students from Center decided against the ap-pearance categories because they are judged strictly on the opin-ions of the judges, and the vehicle need not go fast to win. There is something about making the car speed down the track that moti-vates students at this level. In the remaining fi ve categories, the vehicle is propelled the length of the sixteen-foot track and is elec-tronically timed over the middle twelve feet. Entrants in the Electrifi ed Track category received their power from two aluminum side-rails, which are energized with a 12 volt and 2 amp power-source. After making contact with the side-rails, the electricity travels through wires to an electric mo-tor which turns a propeller and pushes the car down the length of the track. In the Balloon Powered cat-egory, students fasten a balloon to their car, fi ll it with air, and sim-ply let go of the balloon. The air

rushing out of the balloon pushes the car in the opposite direction, a concept very similar to the way a rocket engine functions. Students competing in the Wind powered category receive

energy from a 20" whole house circulating fan that is placed 12" behind the track. They must de-velop a sailed vehicle that will capture the energy produced by the fan and propel the car the length of the track without tip-ping over. This is not an easy task when the vehicle is fl oating on a magnetic cushion. Those in the Self Propelled cat-egory had to design a vehicle that carried its own power source. The

students from Center Moriches chose to use 9 volt batteries, electric motors, and propellers to swiftly push the car down the track. The Figure of Merit Category

Challenges the students to make a cost effective Mag-Lev Vehicle. The car must carry passengers (pennies) down the track, which is slanted down-hill. The goal is to carry as many pennies as pos-sible, as quickly as possible, with the fewest amount of magnets levitating the car. The right com-bination must be found to win this category. The students that represent-ed Center Moriches spent long

hours, after school and on Sat-urday mornings, working on and modifying their vehicles to de-termine whose vehicle was the most competitive. Although each school is typically able to bring

15 students, the fi eld was expanded to 18 this year. The following is a list of the students that competed: Jake, Emily, Dylan, Mollie, Connor, David, Bourke, Yaren, Julia, Abigail, Angela, Madeline, Rylie, Aman-da, Julia,Sean, and Stephanie. Center Moriches students took home fi ve trophies this year. Yaren, David, and Bourke fi n-

ished in 1st, 2nd, and 3rd places respectively in the Balloon Pow-ered Category. Stephanie and Ry-lie teamed up to take 2nd Place In the Battery Powered Category, and Julia fi nished 3rd in the Bat-tery Powered Category. I congratulate all of the stu-dents from Center Moriches for a job well done! They represented the school with a great deal of class, enthusiasm, and pride.

The Center Moriches technology students competed at the Brookhaven National Lab’s MAG-LEV Competition. In the past 12 years, Center Moriches has won 57 trophies!

Brookhaven National Laboratory MAG-LEV Trophy Winners

Yaren - 1st Place - Balloon Category David - 2nd Place - Balloon Category Bourke - 3rd Place - Balloon Category Julia - 3rd Place - Battery Catetgory

Team Category Stephanie & Rylie- 2nd Place Battery Power


Imagine being challenged with the following task; take a kit of parts designed to become a mo-bile, four-wheeled robot and, in six weeks, design, create parts, build, program, test, and rebuild it, to: 1. Throw Frisbees – without a hu-man operator, 2. Throw Frisbees into different height targets directed by a human operator, and 3. Climb a pyramid and hang off one of its bars, all in under 150 sec-onds!And, by the way, I forgot to men-tion, do all this while in an alliance with two other teams and under at-tack of a different alliance of three other teams. Sound easy? It’s not! However, this is the challenge that our ‘rookie’ high school FIRST Robotics team undertook during build season which lasted from January 5 to February 18. To read more about the game please visit http://www.usfi rst.org/roboticspro-grams/frc/2013-game. FIRST means For Inspira-tion and Recognition of Science and Technology, and was founded by Dean Kamen, the inventor of the Segway. He realized that many engineering programs in the Unit-ed States were under-enrolled and many children in the United States were uninterested in becoming en-gineers. He worried that other coun-tries would get ahead of us if we could not get current U.S. students interested in the engineering fi elds: aerospace, material, environmental,

mechanical, agricultural, biologi-cal, chemical, geophysical, audio, civil, industrial, nuclear, biochemi-cal, computer, manufacturing, bio-medical and electrical. As diverse as this list is, all of these fi elds have at least this one commonality – en-gineers solve problems, real-world problems, often with an extremely tight deadline – think Apollo 13! Mr. Kamen realized we need-ed a way to get our kids involved and excited as young as possible. His brainchild is FIRST Robotics. FIRST Robotics is a competition in which high school students across the world are all handed a challeng-ing engineering task, different each year, in which they must design a robot to compete in alliance pair-ings against other robots to solve a series of problems. This is the fi rst year we have had a FIRST Robotics team at Cen-ter Moriches High School. Center Moriches team # 4458 brought their robot, the “DevilBot” to compete at the Long Island SBPLI FIRST Robotics Regional competition at Hofstra University on April 5 and 6. Over 10,000 spectators gath-ered at Hofstra University’s Mack Sports Arena in Hempstead to watch 50 teams, from as far off as Brazil, compete to earn a spot at the FIRST USA Championship to held on April 24-27, 2013, in St. Louis. Our Center Moriches team fared extremely well despite the fact that it was their fi rst year. Our robot consistently scored all three

Frisbees in the top goal during ‘au-tonomous’ mode – scoring 18 quick points for their alliance. The robot had varied success at reloading and shooting during the ‘teleoperated’ or human-operated mode and was able, by the end of the fi rst day of qualifying rounds, to consistently climb the pyramid and hang on the lowest rung, awarding another 10 points to their alliance. The DevilBot did so well that we were selected by FIRST team #329 – the Patchogue-Med-ford Raider team, to be part of the championship alliance moving into the quarter-fi nal rounds. Unfortu-nately, we did not make it out of the quarter fi nals, but the alliances were so well matched that a fi nal game was needed to win two out of three. In celebration of their ‘rook-ie’ success, the Center Moriches FIRST team #4458 was awarded the Rookie Inspiration Award by the team of judges, which celebrates a rookie team’s outstanding success in advancing respect and apprecia-tion for engineering and engineers, both within their school, as well as in their community. Although won-derful to win this award, the major victory was had by the teammates as they worked together during the season to problem solve and learn all the skills needed to design and build a successful robot. All mem-bers of this team will be able to compete with other students around the world for over 15 million dol-lars worth of FIRST scholarships to

excellent colleges and universities across the nation and around the world. We couldn’t have been nearly as successful without our sponsors, listed below with gratitude and thanks:

Bagel Deli BIODEX

Cardinal Control SystemsCarpet Express

Car Quest of East Moriches

East Moriches HardwareKeith Machine

Land, Air, Water Environmental Services

Tebben’s SteelJonesy’s Hardware

Adelworth BusEd Romaine

Robert O’Brien ElectricGirard Associates

By: Lynda Adams, Deputy SuperintendentB : L d Ad D t S i t d t

CENTER MORICHES ROOKIE FIRST ROBOTICS TEAM


Students in the Family and Consumer Sciences Food and Culture classes competed in a Top Chef Pizza Challenge. Throughout the semester, budding chefs honed their culinary skills learning about and creating yeast dough. For the Top Chef Challenge, students needed to use good communi-cation and thinking skills, teamwork, and creativity to design a recipe and execute their individual pizza creation. Each kitchen team was required to select ingredients that would make their pizza unique. These consisted of: pepperoni, white pizza, pizza with bacon, spinach/fresh tomato pizza, an upside -down pizza, and even a dessert pizza! On the day of the challenge, faculty members were invited in to the class to sample each team’s pizza. The students presented and answered questions from staff members about their pizza. Staff members then placed their vote for favorite pizza in the ballot box. There were approximately 40 voters in all. The winner for the fi rst class to compete was the “Masterchefs” with their pepperoni pizza. In the second class, the winner was the “Flam-ing Stock Chefs” with their healthy spinach and fresh tomato pizza. Everyone participating did a fantastic job! A special thanks to all the staff and administration for supporting our student’s learning through this fun event! By: Gina Brienza , Family and Consumer Science Teacher

The Living Book ProjectBy: Pamela Gibbs, MSWCommunity Liaison for the Unkechaug Nation

Stony Brook University, in partner-ship with the Three-Village School Dis-trict, developed the “Living Book Project” as part of a initiative to get students from all over Long Island to participate in so-cial awareness. The Provost of the School of Medicine invited former Health Career Opportunity Program students to the event to inspire conversation, exploration, and refl ection on the book “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks,” written by Rebecca Skloots. On Friday, April 5, Alex and Takia were given the opportunity to participate in this event. One of the objects of this project was to teach the students to be pro-active about

their health care. Research shows that pa-tients who take part in decisions about their own health care are more likely to recuper-ate at a faster rate. The main character in “The Immor-tal Life of Henrietta Lacks” was a young woman of color who died of cervical can-cer. It was also about the journey her cells took, which essentially affected her family as well as the world. The students had the opportunity to meet physicians from ev-ery area of medicine. They were also in-troduced to a man who had just received a heart transplant. Each student walked away with a new appreciation for the fi eld of medical research.

Drum Roll Please.....Since the Summer Box Tops Contest, as well as the two Box Tops Stores, the Clayton Huey Community has collected 29,145 Box Tops! That is amazing! Thank you, thank you, thank you! Keep clip-ping and using those BUCKS! The simplest way to attach them on the sheet is with one big piece of packing tape! Thank you to Joanne Albino for sharing that awesome tip with me. This en-

sures that they will not fall off. PARENTS, please keep them at home for now. More store dates and other Box Top festivi-ties are in the works and you will be kept informed when they will be. If you have any questions, or would like to make a donation to the store, please email me at [email protected].

By: Christine Buff

The Success of the Box Top StoreBox Tops

for Education!

Don’t forget to save your Box Tops! Box Tops can be brought or dropped off

at Clayton Huey Elementary School. Please include your child’s name and

teacher’s name on the baggie.


Fifth Graders Take First Place for Research Creativity

Relay For Life is a life-changing event that helps communities across the globe celebrate the lives of people who have battled cancer, remember loved ones lost, and fi ght back against the disease.

2013 Relay For Life of Center Moriches New YorkJune 1, 2013 12 Noon - 12 Midnight

Center Moriches and our surrounding communities are small towns with big hearts and so, on Saturday, June 1, our community will host our 12th annual Relay For Life from noon to midnight at the CMHS track. “Relay” is the American Can-cer Society’s signature fundraising event...but it’s so much more. It is a day long gathering to celebrate survivorship, remember loved ones lost to cancer, and fi ght back against this disease that takes too much from too many. Past “Relay” highlights have included our Survivors’ Luncheon, Luminaria (Candle Lighting) Ceremony, Relay Idol, entertainment throughout our event, and FUNdraisers galore. Everyone’s reason for participating in “Relay” is unique. It’s never too late to join “Relay.” Our fi nal Captains Meeting of the season is May 22 at the CMHS Library from 6:30 - 8:30 PM. Please join us and become a part of our “Relay” family. “Relay” is a warm, welcoming hug. Our hope is to have at least one cancer survivor on each team. Survivor...what a sweet and wonderful word. How inspirational is it to someone newly diagnosed with cancer to be surrounded by a sea of survivors! If your life, or the life of someone you love has been touched by cancer, please join us. At this year’s “Relay” we will have a Wellness Tent full of relevant information for distribution, as well as a nutritionist, a massage therapist and a dermatologist. Please visit our Relay For Life website, www.relayforlife.org/centermorichesny, to learn more about the American Can-cer Society and our “Relay,” to form or join a team, or to make a donation to the American Cancer Society. If you have any questions about our event, please either contact Tina by email: [email protected] or by telephone: 631-275-0867 or Jackie by email: [email protected] or by telephone: 631-806-5307.

Submitted by Maddy Alter

Join the Fight, Help Save Lives!

The Clayton Huey Fifth Grade LEGO Team competed in the First LEGO League Robotics Competi-tion/SBPLI Championship Round on Sunday, March 3. The fi fth grade team won First Place for Research Creativity for their research project. The project focused on innovative wheelchairs for senior citizens. It was a great honor for the team to win this award as they competed against 41 other teams from all over Long Island. The LEGO robot the team designed and built was a success too. In the alliance part of the robot-ics competition, the team placed third with a score

of 287 points, and was only 18 points away from taking fi rst place! Overall, the competition was a great event, and a per-fect way to culminate all the hard work the team mem-bers have put in this school year. Their six months of research, design, and pro-gramming really paid off. Hopefully, many of the team members will move on and join the middle school LEGO program to continue their success and their love of math, science, and tech-nology! Coaches Mr. Turnow and Mrs. Seitelman are so proud of all the team members and thank everyone for their support of the team!


The middle school music department participated in the NYS-SMA Solo and Ensemble Festival on Wednesday, March 20. Our students prepared solos and ensembles, which were adjudicated by impartial judges. There were a total of 48 performances by instru-mentalists and vocalists. Our students performed extremely well, receiving 8 ratings of “A” or “A+” on grade 5 or 6 solos, along with a total of 18 “Outstanding” ratings on solo and ensemble performanc-es. The remaining students distinguished themselves by earning a grade of “Excellent.” A total of eight students received a perfect score on the sight-reading part of the audition. They are Jenna, Amanda, Jordan, Jack-lyn, Antonio, Julia, Georgie, and Joshua. Special congratulations to Joshua, who received a perfect score of “28” on his clarinet solo performance. Mr. Preston and Mr. Wegener are very proud of every-one’s achievements.

By: Pam Basile and Virginia Messiano Center Moriches is so proud of our young musicians! Claire, Aar-on, Alexandra, Caroline, and Jane performed in the SCMEA Division I East Chorus, and Alexandra earned the position of fi rst chair in the fl ute section in the SCMEA Division I East Band. SCMEA stands for Suffolk County Music Educators Association and is an All-County ensemble comprised of the strongest young musi-cians in the county. These students are excited to share their experi-ence: Alexandra states “SCMEA opened a whole new world in music. It was wonderful to be able to do something like that at the age of 11. Being on stage with all the other kids was amazing.” Jane comments, “I was so honored to participate in SCMEA. It was a great experience. The music instructors were amazing and Mrs. Mesiano and Mrs. Basile were so supportive.” Caroline and Claire shared that “SCMEA is an experience that every singer dreams about when growing up. It is some-thing you never forget. SCMEA is a great opportunity to enhance our singing and to expand our love for music.” Aaron tells “it was a won-derful journey and I can’t wait to do it again!” These performers did an incredible job representing Clayton Huey and all of Center Moriches.

Clayton Huey Students Perform Beautifully at NYSSMA FestivalClayton Huey Students Perform Beautifully at NYSSMA Festival

By: Pam Basile and Virginia Mesiano

Congratulations to all of the Clayton Huey Elementary School Band, Chorus, and Piano and Strings students who participated in this year’s NYSSMA (New York State School Mu-sic Association) Solo Festival. The following students did a fabulous job achieving ratings of Outstanding, Excellent, Good, and choosing to participate without re-ceiving a score. Special congratulations to Gil-lian and AJ for achieving perfect scores. We are so proud of all of our young musicians’ hard work and dedication!

PianoKaiMichael AlexaLogan GillianJenna PatrickNoelle

StringsHarrisonGillian

Brady AJ MichaelDebra Irene Jesse DominiqueAlexandraClaire Nicholas

MichaelJoseph JackJake PatrickMarita SydneyTyler Jane Karla

Band Chorus

NYSSMASCMEA

MIDDLE SCHOOL MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS SHINESTUDENTS SHINESCMEA STRONG!SCMEA STRONG!

Grace Julianna LayneClaire StevenJulien Joseph

JaneTheaCarolineMadelineSierraAnna


The Future Teachers of America Club (FTA) at Center Moriches High School is de-signed to teach students with aspirations to become teachers how to plan lessons, design assessments and create a positive, educational presence in the classroom. The FTA began their fi rst year together by teaching the entire fourth grade about elections. The four fourth grade classes were taught about how campaigns and elections work, the history of elections and an overview of the 2012 presidential campaign. Danae, Toney, and Jil-lian created, planned, designed, and rehearsed their lesson under the guidance of their advisor, Mr. Melandro. Once the planning was complete, the students brought their lesson to the classes of Ms. McIherney/Mrs. DePaolo, Mrs. DeFrese/Mrs. Schnitter, Mrs. Valentine and Mrs. Lo-pez at Clayton Huey Elementary School. High School Principal, Mr. Casswell and FTA advi-sor, Mr. Melandro, accompanied the students to the school and were greeted warmly by Clayton Huey Principal Mrs. Hardwick. Mrs. Hardwick offered some kind words and advice to the po-tential educators before heading off to teach their fi rst lesson. The future teachers taught a total of three 30 minute lessons. Each lesson included a PowerPoint presentation, an elec-tion ballot for the students to fi ll out, and a quiz based on what they learned. The elementary students were energetic

and very eager to learn which surprised future teacher Toney. “I wouldn’t think they would be so receptive to our presentation, but they were amazing,” he said. Jillian believes that the work that was put into the lesson really paid off in the end. “The fact that they were so eager to listen and learn from us really inspires me to become a teacher.” Danae is already looking forward to their

next presentation, “I felt so confi dent after we completed our lesson, I cannot wait to get started on planning our next one.” Mr. Melan-dro was incredibly proud of his future teachers “They were so professional and comfortable in front of the students that it seemed like they had done it before.” Their outstanding preparation translated into a true educational experience for the students of Clayton Huey.

“Students Teaching Students”“Students Teaching Students”

complex state defi ned calculation to arrive at a tax levy limit. The computations are dependent on specifi c budget category amounts, and the resulting percentage will vary from district to district. Rarely is that fi nal number exactly 2%. The legislation also changes the rule of “majority wins” or the concept that 50% plus one vote will pass a budget. If a district pro-poses a budget that is greater than the “tax levy limit,” 60% of the voters must approve (vote yes) in order to pass the budget. A quick review of last year’s New York State school districts’ “tax levy limits” shows that only fi ve districts’ calculations resulted in an actual 2% budget, while 575 had calcu-lations that were greater than 2%, and 91 had limits that were less than 2%. While the state still allows districts to propose tax levy limits in excess of their state calculated limits, provided they can attain the undemocratic rate of 60% approval, the stig-ma of doing so is diffi cult to overcome. Every proposed budget is inevitably compared to the misguided expectation of “2 percent.”

Under the best of circumstances this would be diffi cult to overcome, but is made even more so with all of the other variables that districts are faced with: contractual obli-gations, cuts in state aid, increased enrollment, higher academic standards, and countless un-funded state mandates. Throughout New York State, 48 districts attempted to “pierce the cap” in 2012-13 by proposing budgets that were greater than their calculated “tax levy limit.” We have heard the taxpayers clearly and are proposing a budget in 2013-14 of 2.39%, which is under our tax cap. To pass this budget we will need a simple ma-jority of 50% plus one (1) vote. The most important goal in preparing a budget is to provide a well rounded educa-tional experience for our children in a safe en-vironment that is conducive to learning. The proposed 2013-2014 budget is both fi scally responsible and educationally responsive. The proposed budget will also allow us to continue offering all of the programs are currently of-fered with no cuts.

Continued from page 1

Fiscal Responsibility and the Tax Levy Cap

Points of Pride Our 2011-12 School Year

Highest Regents Diploma Rate in CM History Highest Special Education Regents Diploma

Rate in CM History Highest Advanced Regents Diploma Rate in

CM History Highest Percentage of Students Graduating

“college and career” ready 29% Increase in Mastery level on the 2012

4th grade New York State Mathematics as-sessment

20% Increase in students passing the Com-prehensive English Regents Exam

38% Increase in students passing the Alge-bra2/Trigonometry Regents Exam

35% Increase in students passing the 8th grade New York State Mathematics assessment

88% Increase in 8th grade students achieving mastery on the Integrated Algebra Regents Exam

23 % Increase in 8th grade students achieving mastery on the Earth Science Regents Exam

41 % Increase in students passing the Physics Regents Exam

By: John Melandro, FTA Advisor

By: John Allen, Assistant to the Superintendent


CM High School Hosts Student Congressional Forum

Congressman Tim Bishop vis-ited Center Moriches High School on March 8, 2013. The purpose of the visit was to allow students to pose questions and get fi rst-hand informa-tion about the issues facing the na-tion. In the secondary school library, the Congressman met with eighth graders, juniors and seniors from the classes of Mr. Roberts, Mr. Charvat, and Mr. Schiavoni, who organized the event. Mr. Casswell, Principal of the High School, attended the educa-tion forum and he described the event as “an authentic opportunity to par-ticipate in the democratic process and discuss pertinent issues with our con-gressional representative.” Congressman Bishop is a mem-ber of the House of Representatives for the 1st Congressional District governing the eastern half of Long Is-land. He is from Southampton and is the 14th generation of a family which dates back to before the American

Revolution in the area. Bishop was the provost of Southampton College and was fi rst elected to the offi ce in 2002 to become our 57th Congress-man. The Congressman was intro-duced by Southampton Town Justice Andrea Schiavoni. During his visit he answered questions posed from the students and staff and addressed a variety of issues including the current Federal budget, Immigration, College entrance requirements, campaign fi -nance, and the economic outlook of the country. Bishop’s background as an educator was evident as he clear-ly detailed the workings of the U.S. Government. For an hour, the Con-gressman candidly explained the is-sues and realities currently facing the nation. From an education standpoint, the forum was an important oppor-tunity for students. As a Congress-man, Tim Bishop currently serves on the Transportation and Infrastructure

Committee and is Ranking Minority Member of the Water Resources and Environment Subcommittee. He also serves on the Education and Work-force Committee along with several other congressional caucuses. How-ever, Congressman Bishop stated that he believes that “constituent services are the most important function of my offi ce.” He went on to say that he and his staff provide help to people of the NY-1 navigating the federal govern-ment. Whether it is Social Security, Medicare or Veterans issues, his staff is there to assist in any way possible he explained. Many students who participated in the question and answer session also remembered meeting Congress-man Bishop on the steps of the Capi-tol Building during their eighth grade trip to Washington, D.C., back in 2008 and 2009. In fact, Tim Bishop has met with our eighth grade stu-dents in Washington each year that he has served as our Congressman.

By: Thomas Schiavoni, Middle School Social Studies Teacher


Once again we had the privilege of par-ticipating in the Ride for Life with Mr. Chris Pendergast! Chris Pendergast founded Ride for Life, an annual event, where patients with Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) ride their wheelchairs to raise public awareness of the disease. The mission of this local charity is to help advance research in fi nding a cure, support patients and their families, and provide ALS-related information. Chris Pendergast and his wife Christine joined us for two assemblies on Friday, April 19. They addressed students at Clayton Huey Elementary School in the morning and in the afternoon they spent an hour with the CMHS Class of 2016. The freshmen are about to begin reading Mitch Albom’s book “Tuesdays with Morrie,” and have been learning about ALS. Meeting Chris Pendergast and hearing his in-spirational story fi rst hand made quite an im-pact on them.

Sabrina said, “Mr. Pendergast is a very strong person. Even with so much happening to him he could still crack a joke. That is what I took away from the assembly. Even when something terrible happens you can still have light.”

Isabel remarked, “After the assembly I was re-ally thankful for the people I have in my life and thankful for my health. Anything can happen to anyone at anytime and there may be nothing we can do about it. I really do hope they fi nd a cure for ALS.”

Edward added, “I was enlightened by what Mr. Pendergast had to say. His talk made my day.”

James said, “Seeing Mr. Pendergast made me feel very thankful for my life and the things I have...especially my health. I think it’s amazing that after 20 years his is still living with enthu-siasm, pushing the negative factors of his ill-ness aside, and trying to fi nd a cure.”

Megan said, “It was absolutely amazing! I ap-preciated how he allowed us to hear the whole story. It was a big reality check into how hard life can be, but you can still push through. I feel there is hope for a cure in the future and I am very grateful for the opportunity to listen to Mr. Pendergast.”

Matthew remarked, “People always talk about fi ghting and being a fi ghter, but Mr. Pendergast is the true fi ghter! To have ALS for as long as he has and to keep fi ghting showed me what re-silience truly is.”

Savannah said, “Mr. Pendergast is so strong and what he is doing is truly amazing. I was emotional during the presentation, but Mr. Pen-

Symbols of Hope - Ride for Life & Chris PendergastBy: Mrs. Sherry Turpin

Freshmen Austin Roggemann, Ramon Lopez-Flores, Jake Hogan, and Paul Messina visit with Chris Pendergast after the Ride for Life assembly.

dergast also made me smile with his wonderful sense of humor. He really opened my eyes to how someone can turn a bad situation into a better one.”

Michael added, “I was touched by Mr. Pend-ergast’s attitude toward having ALS. Most people might just be depressed and not want to do anything, but he is out there living his life. Instead of falling over the obstacle he’s climb-ing over it and he keeps on going!”

Christina said, “I think Mr. Pendergast is a re-markable person and his story is inspiring. I was able to speak with him after the assembly and I realized what a kindhearted person he is. He has the ability to open many people’s eyes about what is important in life.”

Vincent added, “It was one of the most awe-some, amazing, and interesting school assem-blies I have even been to. I loved being called up on stage to help with the demonstration!”

The Ride for Life took place on Main Street in Center Moriches on Tuesday, May 7, 2013 during the school day. Students from CMHS escorted Chris Pendergast down Main Street in Center Moriches from St. John’s Church to Clayton Huey Elementary School where a brief ceremony was held at approxi-mately 1:00. The ride concluded at Center Moriches High School. For more information on the Ride for Life, visit the website at http://ride-for-life.org/.

About ALS:Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), often referred to as “Lou Gehrig’s Disease,” is a pro-gressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord. Motor neurons reach from the brain to the spinal cord and from the spinal cord to the muscles throughout the body. The progressive degeneration of the motor neurons in ALS eventually leads to their death. When the motor neurons die, the ability of the brain to initiate and control muscle movement is lost. With voluntary muscle action progressively affected, patients in the later stages of the disease may become totally paralyzed. As motor neurons degenerate, they can no longer send impulses to the muscle fi bers that nor-mally result in muscle movement. Early symptoms of ALS often include increasing muscle weakness, especially involving the arms and legs, speech, swallowing or breathing. When muscles no longer receive the messages from the motor neurons that they require to function, the muscles begin to atrophy (become smaller). Limbs begin to look “thinner” as muscle tissue atrophies.

Courtesy of ALSA.org

http://www.alsa.org


CENTER MORICHES HIGH SCHOOL ALUMNI OF DISTINCTION

NOMINATION FORM

TO: Members of the Center Moriches Community

FROM: Center Moriches Alumni of Distinction Committee

Every two years the Center Moriches School District will honor Center Moriches alumni based on career achievements, community involvement, charitable work, etc. Please have the application completely fi lled out and returned to:

Center Moriches Alumni of DistinctionCenter Moriches High School

311 Frowein RoadCenter Moriches, NY 11934

Attention: Jeremy Thode or Ed Casswell

1. Selections will be based on: Graduation date from Center Moriches ten (10) year prior to June of the previous graduation year. Outstanding contributions to the welfare of mankind and service to the community. Signifi cant professional accomplishments. You may nominate yourself or another alumna/alumnus.

2. Nomination form must be postmarked by August 1st of the year of inductions.

3. Please include a detailed biography citing the nominee’s accomplishments, service, fi eld of work, etc. with each application.

4. Alumni of Distinction honorees will be recognized at Center Moriches High School during our Homecoming ceremony.

5. If you have any questions, please email [email protected] or [email protected].

Nominee’s Name: __________________________________Graduating Class of ___________

Address: ______________________________________________________________________

E-Mail: _______________________________________________________________________

Telephone #: Home _________________________Work or Cell ________________________

Person providing nomination: _____________________________________________________

Address: ______________________________________________________________________

E-Mail: _______________________________________________________________________

Telephone #: Home _________________________ Work or Cell ________________________

The Suffolk Zone of NYS AHPERD (Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance) held its sixth annual Elementary and Middle School Physical Education Awards Program. The event took place on Wednesday, May 1, at the Longwood High School gymnasium. This award recognizes students for outstanding leader-ship, fi tness, and excellence in physical education. Three stu-dents have been chosen for this award from Clayton Huey Elementary School’s fi fth grade class. This year’s recipi-ents are Dennis Solovyov, Makayla Hofmann, and Jack Heintz. These students also demonstrate exceptional sports-manship. The Clayton Huey family is very proud of these stu-dents and we congratulate them on setting a fi ne examples at Clayton Huey.

mailto:[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]


Center Moriches High School Department of AthleticsCenter Moriches High School Department of AthleticsSpecial Achievements - IndividualsSpecial Achievements - Individuals

Winter 2013Winter 2013 NameName GradeGrade SportSport AwardAward Brady, Claire 11 Basketball All League Brady, Claire 11 Basketball All League Brown, A’Kyse 12 Basketball All Conference Brown, A’Kyse 12 Basketball All Conference Bryant, Patrick 11 Basketball Academic All County Bryant, Patrick 11 Basketball Academic All County Fahie, Victoria 11 Basketball All League Fahie, Victoria 11 Basketball All League Hamilton, William 11 Wrestling County Runner Up Hamilton, William 11 Wrestling County Runner Up Indemaio, Andrew 12 Wrestling 3rd Place Suffolk County Indemaio, Andrew 12 Wrestling 3rd Place Suffolk County Jackson, Terrell 11 Basketball All League Jackson, Terrell 11 Basketball All League Lewis, Ryan 12 Wrestling County Runner Up Lewis, Ryan 12 Wrestling County Runner Up Menzer, Michael 12 Wrestling County Champion Menzer, Michael 12 Wrestling County Champion Plummer, Takia 12 Basketball All League Plummer, Takia 12 Basketball All League Sportiello, Peter 12 Wrestling 4th Place Suffolk County Sportiello, Peter 12 Wrestling 4th Place Suffolk County Thomas, Tyrell 10 Basketball All League Thomas, Tyrell 10 Basketball All League Trent, Clarence 11 Basketball Honorable Mention All League Trent, Clarence 11 Basketball Honorable Mention All League Tyson, Nicholas 12 Wrestling County Runner Up Tyson, Nicholas 12 Wrestling County Runner Up

Zoning IN!Zoning IN!

Center Moriches Middle School Physi-cal Education De-partment announced its 2013 Suffolk Zone Winners. Congratu-lations to our eighth grade students, Casey and Zachary. They both exemplify excel-lent leadership skills, positive class par-ticipation, and excel overall in academics. Congratulations on all of your hard work and effort.

Team AcknowledgementsTeam AcknowledgementsGirls Varsity Basketball 2012-13 NYSPHSAA, Inc. Scholar/Athlete Team AwardGirls Varsity Basketball 2012-13 NYSPHSAA, Inc. Scholar/Athlete Team AwardVarsity Wrestling 2012-13 NYSPHSAA, Inc. Scholar/Athlete Team Award. Varsity Wrestling 2012-13 NYSPHSAA, Inc. Scholar/Athlete Team Award. Varsity Wrestling Outstanding Winter Sportsmanship TeamVarsity Wrestling Outstanding Winter Sportsmanship TeamJV Wrestling Outstanding Winter Sportsmanship TeamJV Wrestling Outstanding Winter Sportsmanship TeamBoys Jr. High Basketball Outstanding Winter Sportsmanship TeamBoys Jr. High Basketball Outstanding Winter Sportsmanship Team

A TRIBUTE TO VOLUNTEERS The athletic program would like to acknowledge and thank the following pro-fessionals who have volunteered their time to assist the respective athletic programs in the 2012-13 school year. Center Moriches School District and community have a reputation of service throughout the schools and community, in fundraising for causes, and donating time and resources to assist in worthy endeavors. These individuals have volunteered to assist our district coaches and enhance our athletic program in various ways throughout the seasons. Their unselfi sh assistance has been a wonderful plus to the success of our athletes. The volunteers had to go through an in depth application process and various trainings through the NYS Education Department to be qualifi ed volunteers. It is a tribute to all of them who, at the very least, had to get fi rst aid and CPR certifi ed to be approved to volunteer. We salute these individuals and all other Center Moriches parents and community members who volunteer to add excellence to the educational experience of our children.

Sara Sullivan Girls BasketballAnthony Roundtree Boys BasketballSteven Ebert Boys VolleyballJeff LeBlanc Boys VolleyballMichael Oldham Boys VolleyballDennis Donovan BaseballGlenn Gibson BaseballKelly O’Brien SoftballRobert Nolan Softball

Stan Hartman SoftballRon Navas Boys LacrosseGeorge Maxwell Boys LacrosseSean Queller TrackJonathan Porter Football, Basket- ball, BaseballAimee Niegocki Girls LacrosseMitchell Delgado Girls LacrosseGary Gaudio Tennis

By: Mrs. Plush and Mr. Scott


As part of their French IV class requirements, students at Center Moriches High School are asked to create their own children books in French. They create and write their stories in French, they illustrate the books, and, fi nally, they get to present their books to the other French students. This year we have decided to expand this project to the Clayton Huey Elementary School. A group of six 11th grade students presented their books to second graders and here’s what they had to say about this experience: • Madison and Brooke: “Having the opportunity to write a children’s

book in French was exciting enough, let alone being able to share them with Center Moriches’s elementary school students. The trip was so much fun. All the kids loved our books. Not only did they get to have fun listening to a short children’s story, but they also had the chance to experience and explore a new language. The kids were great listeners and they were very open about asking questions. It was an amazing experience for me and I hope it was just as amazing for the elementary students as well. I hope future French classes will be able to have and enjoy the same experience I did. It was a lot of fun!”

• Gabrielle: “My trip to the elementary school was incredibly fun and surprising. Speaking French and reading to the children had such a huge impact on them. By the time my book was done the kids were saying French phrases and had learned so much. It’s amazing how their brains are like sponges and I was happy to help them learn and interest them in the language.”

• Sofi a: “Going down to the elementary school and reading to the second graders was such a blast! I didn’t think that it was going to be as interactive as it was. The kids were very enthusiastic about our stories and so intrigued by the French language which made the whole experience so much fun. The kids asked so many good as well as funny questions. I remember one girl asked how to say meatball in French which just made me and my friend Nicole laugh. Aside from the fun that we all had it was also really cool to see how quickly kids that age can learn and remember words in a different language. Not only did they get to listen to our children’s book but also got to learn a few new things, which sums up that the day we spent at the elementary school was great! “

• Chelsea: “ The trip to the elementary school was so much fun! I really enjoyed reading to the children. I loved how excited they were about being exposed to the French language. They asked me so many ques-tions about the language and they absorbed so much! They were all very excited to start taking a language course in middle school! In my opinion, language should be introduced to students at a younger age. The kids pick it up so quickly and are very receptive. By the time I left they were say “Merci” and “Au Revoir”! It was a wonderful experi-ence!

• Nicole: ” Reading my French children’s story to the elementary school kids was overall an amazing experience. I loved promoting the French language and watching their reactions. They were great listeners and by the time I had fi nished my book they were all shouting words like “non” and “bonjour”. They kept asking me how to say certain words in French and seemed very interested in the language. It was great to get such a positive reaction and I was very happy they enjoyed my book and learning some French!”

With the help of technology, Center Moriches High School students went face-to-face recently with their French pen pals. The pen pal project has been part of their High School French program for the past four years. Students taking French have been exchanging letters with French students from Camille-Sée High School, in Paris. Last year, the group of students who visited Paris had the chance to meet with their pen pals in person and spend a day in their school. This month, students had the chance to chat with their pen pals in two different occasions, via video conferencing site Skype, in their own class-room. This is a wonderful way for both, French and American students to learn about a different culture, and to improve their communication skills in the target language.

High School Students Go Global Authoring Original French Books

In top photo, second grade students in Mrs. Kingston’s class en-joyed listening to the fl uent French spoken by the high school students. In bottom photos, high school students Madison, Nicole, Sofi a, Brooke, Gabrielle, and Chelsea with their original French books.

A Virtual Trip to France - Students Skype With French Pen Pals

By: Oana Curticapean, High School LOTE Teacher


What does a child need? Every child needs a chance! Each one deserves the opportunity to explore their talents, hobbies and interests. Each child needs to ex-perience being part of a team, club, group or organization. A child should be able to fi nd some-thing they are passionate about, something they enjoy, and have that opportunity to help iden-tify who they are now through the school years and assist them in transition into adulthood and beyond. A music group, technol-ogy club, an artistic opportunity, business competition, or a sport are all potential experiences for students to explore to gain expo-sure, experience, and develop re-lationships to help them through-out their life. Please understand we cannot always be the best, be fi rst, or win. It is the process and the experience that are key to learning. It is the prepara-tion for success, not necessarily the success itself, which is most important. The critical piece is ensuring as parents and educa-tors, we get students involved in something they have interest in. Throughout life children and adults come across both pos-itive and negative experiences that shape our thoughts, beliefs, and actions. We often learn more about ourselves in diffi cult and challenging situations then we do in positive exposures. The key is how do we create and shape a child’s perspective, how do we teach them resiliency and self es-teem in all their experiences both positive and negative throughout their school years. School life from K-12 is fi lled with models for all students. Children have ex-posures that have both major and minor impact within a controlled environment, sort of a blueprint for life with a safety net. They have the grades and tests, social groups, rules and regulations and choices of how they are going to proceed from year to year until they graduate. It is truly a very intricate

process. There is a continual need to communicate in all as-pects of a child’s development and success. The saying is that it “takes a village to raise a child”! No parent, adult or edu-cator wants children to fail, be bullied, not fi t in, or not be pre-pared to live a happy successful life. Many of us have tons of obstacles that present themselves in our lives that get in the way of achieving our goals and pros-pering. It does not matter what you do, how much money you make, what car you drive, or who you know. We all battle issues, doubts, problems, and outside in-fl uences that cause us to struggle at various times of our days and lives. Many children don’t know or understand that the adults, educators and parents have the same experiences that they have just sometimes on a larger scale. With that being said, all the adults need to remember that the issue a child is dealing with is just as catastrophical to them and the adult problem is to the adult. The fi ght with a friend, the breakup, the failed test, the exclusion from a group can have the same emotional and physical toll on a child as it does a serious problem for the adult. I’m guilty as a parent, telling my daughter, “Its ok, you’ll get over it”, “It’s no big deal”, and “Let it go”. Most of us, I can bet, are guilty as par-ents of not valuing the complete impact of the daily obstacles and issues our children have and how meaningful they are to them. We need children to be-long and we also need to hear them. It is a monumental job for any parent(s), teacher, advisor or coach to know everything, un-derstand everything and be capa-ble of deciphering every action, behavior or choice of a child. The more the child is involved and the more adults who are oversee-ing each child, the better. The more communication from home to adults in the school and from school to the home the better the

chance of helping each child fi nd their way and succeed. Chil-dren just like adults, are drawn to different people and opportu-nities. Relationships occur with people who have similar inter-ests and sometimes relationships for whatever reason don’t devel-op due to lack of comfort. The key starting point is getting ev-ery child involved in something. Have and create opportunities for each child to belong to some-thing they enjoy or want to know more about. Second, is to fi nd more and more opportunities for child to belong to and have them develop friendships and relation-ships with other children with similar interests. Third, all adults have to monitor and interact as much as possible with students through their educational years. How do we accomplish all this? Well for many children, this happens naturally as part of the school environment and what is offered through the educational process but sometimes children get off track, get disinterested, are turned off, or communica-tion breaks down and resources around them are not utilized. We constantly have to keep commu-nicating with children both at home, in school, and throughout various extracurricular activities both in school and outside of it. Information has to also be shared with the school, administrator, teacher, advisor or coach. Some-where along the line communi-cation sometimes breaks down. Children are our most important resource, the key to the future. They deserve the attention of ALL adults to help guide them to the future. Hopefully it is a future with success, safety, and happi-ness. More importantly, we want them to have the skills and abil-ity to persevere and overcome. I have four distinctly dif-ferent children with different personalities and interests. I have learned (and am still learn-ing) how to interact with each of them. Their interests in ac-

tivities, friends, hobbies and ac-tions vary so much from day to day and year to year. Our goal as parents is to expose them to different experiences, help them fi nd things they are passionate about, embrace who they are, and foster growth and skills to be successful in all aspects of life and humanity. Along the way, we have stumbled and failed in various areas but we continue to push forward looking for posi-tive ways and exposures that will help our children realize their potential. As a community, Cen-ter Moriches is fortunate to be an intimate place where people look out for each other and the school district has varied oppor-tunities for students to explore to enable individual growth and prosperity. The school district and community have to continue to stand together and work with each other in communicating and supporting each other. We need to continue to fi nd oppor-tunity and success for each and every child. In the end we can solidify the greatest amount of success in a child with a strong home school connection, coupled with a supportive community. Our common bond must always be to ensure each child succeeds in as much as they possibly can to help assist them in becoming strong and productive citizens.

What Every Child Needs - What Every Child Needs - One Administrator’s PerspectiveOne Administrator’s Perspective

By Jeremy Thode, Director of Health, Physical Education, Business, Fine & Applied Arts and Athletics


BUDGET VOTE and SCHOOL BOARD ELECTIONTuesday May 21, 2013 - 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.

Clayton Huey Gymnasium

The Fifth Grade Chorus did a fantastic job per-forming “America the Beautiful” at the March 19 Islanders game. They proudly represented Center Moriches and received a thunderous applause. Their choral director Mrs. Mesiano said, “I appreciate the support and arrangements that were made by the PTA and the chairperson Mrs. Rank to insure that our Fifth Grade Chorus had this memorable experience. These students perform with enthusiasm and always do their best, which makes me very proud to be their director.” Fifth grader Stephanie declared, “I thought it was a great experience, defi nitely once in a lifetime,” and Madeline stated, “We had an awesome time, it was a great experience.” Although the Islanders did not win, our students performed beautifully and had a wonderful Family Fun Night.

Fifth Grade Chorus Wins at Islanders Game!By: Pam Basile, Elementary Music Teacher

MAY 17 Staff Appreciation Day 17-18 Music in the Parks 20 Kindergarten Screening 21 Budget Vote and School Board Election 21 High School and Middle School Art Show 22 Kindergarten Screening 22 BOE Meeting 27 Schools Closed - Memorial Day Parade 28 -31 Grade 4 and 8 NYS Science Assessments 28 SEPTA Meeting

JUNE 3 Grade 4 and 8 NYS Science Assessments 4 JV Recognition Night 5 BOE Meeting 6 Varsity Awards Dinner 10 Senior Awards Night - Last Day of Classes at HS 11 PTA Meeting 17 Clayton Huey Moving Up Ceremony 19 Middle School Moving Up Ceremony 21 Last Day of School 22 High School Graduation

YStaff A

Volume 19 Number 4 www.cmschools.org May 2013


volume 19 number 4 may 2013 great …...2013-2014 proposed tax levies district allowable rate...

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