The Power of Words and Photos: Think Before You Post - Article on Page 8The Power of Words and Photos: Think Before You Post - Article on Page 8

TACKLING TESTING on the FEDERAL LEVEL

First Day Fun!September 3, 2014

Almost two full weeks are spent taking state-mandated tests in grades six through eleven. Another three to four weeks are spent in preparation for those tests. The annual cost per student? About $1,100, ac-cording to a recent study. Here in the Commack School District, Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Donald James, has strongly advocated for less testing and for better methods of student assessment. Most recently he worked with Con-gressman Steve Israel on a bill that cuts required testing in half. The primary issues and concerns include:

1. The loss of local control; 2. The over emphasis on high-

stakes standardized tests; and 3. The mandated testing calendar

where schools must administer standardized tests to children every year; a practice that is clearly inappropriate, particu-larly for young children.

“There is no argument that innu-merable U.S. public schools are pro-viding an educationally sound, well-rounded, robust educational program with many going above and beyond any requirement set forth by Federal or State governing bodies; schools that are supporting student achievement at the highest levels; schools helping to produce students prepared for what-ever they want to achieve when they leave high school whether college, trade school, or the workforce,” Dr. James stated. The new TEST bill - H.R. 5612 - calls for a reduction in the number of tests, changing current annual testing in both English Language Arts (ELA) and math in grades 3 through 8 to ELA tests in grades 3, 5, and 7, and math

tests in grades 4, 6, and 8. In addition, schools that rank in the top 15% in the state can move to even less frequent testing cycles. There are also modifi -cations for special education students and those children who are learning to speak English. “Standardized tests are only use-ful when they are administered peri-odically, in a way that does not disrupt instruction, and then only if the neces-sary data is provided to help teachers determine where students need sup-port,” Dr. James stated. Congressman Israel held a rally for “Less Testing, More Enrichment” at Commack Middle School on October 5. Both Dr. James and Congressman Israel are dismayed by the loss of in-structional time associated with the mandated testing. “It hinders the abil-ity of schools to provide learning op-portunities where students engage in authentic activities and assessments,” Dr. James said. “If we abandon the arts, social emotional, physical fi tness, and other types of programs not mea-surable on a standardized test, we risk creating generations of “test takers” as opposed to thinkers and innovators.”

Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Donald James, and Congressman Steve Israel speak out against the level of testing required on the State and Federal levels at the rally held at Commack Middle School.

October 2014

For video and more photos, click here!

T h e C o m m a c k C o u r i e r 2

National Merit SemifinalistsNational Merit Semifinalists

T h e C o m m a c k C o u r i e r

Three academically talented Commack High School seniors earned the rank of Semifi nalists in the National Merit Scholarship Program. Scott Massa, Amanda Weiss, and Chantel Yang will compete for one of the $2,500 scholarships to be awarded in the spring to National Merit Finalists. Semifi nalists are chosen based on the scores they received on the 2013 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT), taken in 11th grade. The nationwide pool of Semifi nalists rep-resent less than one percent of all U.S. high school seniors. Each can-didate then must submit a detailed scholarship application that includes his/her academic record, school and community participation and volun-teer information, demonstrated lead-ership roles, employment, and hon-ors/awards received. Candidates must be endorsed by a high school offi cial, submit an essay, and earn high SAT scores. National Merit

Scholarship winners will be announced beginning in April, 2015. In photo, from left to right: Dr. Adele Pecora, Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction, Jonathan

Macaluso, Director of Guidance, Semi-fi nalists Chantel Yang, Amanda Weiss, and Scott Massa, Catherine Nolan, Prin-cipal, and Dr. Donald James, Superinten-dent, Commack Schools.

Commack High School also has nine “Commended” students, who placed among the top fi ve percent of the 1.5 million students who entered the 2015 National Merit Scholarship competition by taking the PSAT in 2013. “These students have demonstrated outstanding potential,” said Principal Nolan, “and we hope this added recognition will encourage them as they continue their pursuit of academic suc-cess in the future.” In photo, from left to right, Jonathan Macaluso, Director of Guidance, Dr. Adele Pecora, Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction, commended seniors Ryan McCaffrey, Andrew Kim, Brian Huang, Ryan Chan, Gabriel Green, Sean Briody, Jesse Woltal, Olivia DeSonne Ammaccapane, Principal Catherine Nolan, commended senior Victoria Fetzer, and Superintendent Dr. Donald James.

Exceptional Academic PromiseExceptional Academic Promise

T h e C o m m a c k C o u r i e r 3

BOARD OF EDUCATIONMEETINGS

Thursday, October 23, 2014Commack High School at 7:30 p.m.*

Thursday, November 20, 2014Hubbs Administrative Center at 8:00 p.m.*

*The Board will convene at 6:00 p.m. and is expected to adjourn into Executive Session. Public meetings will commence at times

stated above.

HOMECOMING - October 25Parade at 12 noon followed by Alumni of

Distinction and team festivitiesFootball Game Kick-Off at 2:30 p.m.

Halloween HappeningOctober 31, 2014

Commack High School 3:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.

SEPTA Holiday BoutiqueNovember 17, 2014

6:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. at Commack High SchoolRaffl es, Vendors Galore!

Community Blood DriveNovember 18, 2014

1:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. at BurrSponsored by PTA Council & NY Blood Center

Click the Community Events link on the Commack Website for more events

www.commackschools.org

October 25, 2014 at 9:00 a.m.Commack High SchoolFull Details on the Website

Parents have been asking their children to “turn down that music” for generations. “You’ll ruin your hearing!” messages were mostly ignored. Currently, earbuds are included with al-most every purchase of a cell phone, and the increased risk of hearing loss from pumping high decibel music into our ears has greatly increased. Music students in Mark Burr and Michael Abrescia’s seventh grade classes learned how to protect themselves from hear-ing loss. They watched a video released by Etymotic Research, Inc., and then entered the com-pany’s “Generation Hear” con-

test. The contest sought to raise awareness of how to “hear for a lifetime” and the possible dam-age that may be caused by harmful listening habits. The classes earned national rec-ognition for Commack Middle School, receiving an honorable mention in the contest. Both classes were awarded free high fi delity ear plugs from the com-pany. In photo, from left to right: Paul Infante, Director of Fine and Applied Arts, congratulates music teachers Michael Abres-cia and Mark Burr, and some of their students on their accom-plishment.

Emergency Management Drill

Wednesday, November 26, 2014Students will be dismissed 15 minutes early

Click the Community Events link on the Commack Website for more events

www.commackschools.org

The Commack Courier is also published in color on the Commack Website.

www.commackschools.org

T h e C o m m a c k C o u r i e r 4

The Commack School Dis-trict continued its tradition of pay-ing tribute to the 3,000 men and women who lost their lives on Sep-tember 11, 2001, with the 13th an-nual Night of Remembrance. This year’s ceremony was dedicated to the 1,600+ fi rst responders who have died since that fatal attack from related illnesses, and their widows and children. Most of our students weren’t born or were babies or toddlers in 2001. Each school marked the day with age appropriate lessons and remembrances. At the 9-11 ceremony on the Heroes Memorial Track, guest speakers included Congress-man Steve Israel, Senator John Flanagan, John Feal (FealGood Foundation), Board of Education President, Deborah Guber, and Vice President, Steve Hartman. Each speaker shared the touch-ing stories of fi ve fi rst responders who willingly spent months digging through the rubble at the Twin Tow-ers and have since passed away: Robert Zane (NYPD), Martin C. Simmons (FDNY), John McNama-ra (FDNY), John C. Devlin (Local 15 Operating Engineer), and Mark Gajewski (Local 30 Operational Engineers). These patriots teach us the simple, yet inspirational message of hope, and what it re-ally means to be an American. Masters of Ceremonies in-cluded Board of Education trustee, MaryJo Masciello, and Superinten-dent of Schools, Dr. Donald James. Community Relations consultant, Debbie Virga, is the organizer and driving force behind the event that drew over 2,000 thousand attend-ees from our schools and the sur-rounding community.

Commack High School senior Olivia DeSonne Ammaccapane sang the National Anthem. A 21-gun salute by the Marine Corps Huntington Detachment #792 was followed by the playing of “Taps” by Commack graduate Chris Toomey. Politicians representing our na-tion, state, and local constituen-cies as well as state, city, and local fi refi ghter, police, and ambulance departments participated in the ceremony. Rabbi Telden gave the invocation and Deacon Lou Anat-rella, the benediction. Many thanks to the Commack Volunteer Fire Department and the Commack Ambulance Corp. Thanks as well to the many stu-dents, community members, staff members, musicians, and local businesses that help to make this annual remembrance possible. The Commack School Dis-trict is the only school district on Long Island that has continuously commemorated 9-11. A Memorial Plaza was dedicated at the high school in 2012. The centerpiece is a monument topped with a sec-tion of steel from the Twin Towers. It is surrounded by walkways inlaid with engraved bricks donated by community and staff members and others across the country. There are benches where individuals can rest and refl ect. In the words of Joe Daniels, President and CEO of the National September 11 Memorial & Mu-seum, “Our spirits are sustained by what the terrorists could never destroy: our shared humanity. On this day, we remember how a na-tion became a family and how the world came together with limitless compassion.”

Commack Dedicates 9-11 Ceremony to First Responders’ Families

We Will Never ForgetMore photos

T h e C o m m a c k C o u r i e r 5

On September 17, schools across the nation celebrated Constitution Day, the birth-day of our government. On this day, in 1787, delegates to the Philadelphia Conven-tion completed and signed the U.S. Constitution that includes the ideas on which America is founded: liberty, equality, and justice. The original con-stitution is on display at the National Archives Museum in

Washington, D.C. Commack’s Social Stud-ies Coordinator, Brian Trapani, said, “All social studies teach-ers did Constitution related activities in class. There were discussions regarding the im-portance representative gov-ernments have had on human

civilization, evaluations of the Preamble, refl ections on the Bill of Rights and the principles of the Constitution and how they apply to students’ lives. Wood Park Primary School students (pictured above) took a virtual tour of the National Archives and had an up close look at the Constitution. This live webcam stream was orga-nized by Discovery Education. The video conference ,“Of the

People: Constitution Day 2014 with David S. Ferriero, Archi-vist of the United States,” in-cluded a view of the Rotunda and the three important docu-ments preserved there known collectively as the Charters of Freedom, the Declaration of Independence, Constitution of

the United States, and Bill of Rights. Through the video con-ference, our students learned about how these important documents are preserved, and had the opportunity to view George Washington’s draft version of the Constitution no-ticing several of the changes made to the fi nal Constitution. The students really enjoyed the parchment paper replicas of the Declaration of Indepen-dence and the Constitution they could observe and hold. “This virtual fi eld trip pro-vided a real-world connection to the history strand of our so-cial studies curriculum,” said teacher Justine Buonovolonta. To view the video, please visit www.discoveryeducation.com/Live/of-the-people-constitu-tion-day-2014.cfm. North Ridge Primary School cel-e b r a t e d C o n s t i t u -tion Day with patri-otic mu-sic, sing-ing songs about free-dom and A m e r i c a , as staff and s t u d e n t s g a t h e r e d

outside the school in a sea of red, white, and blue (photos). Indian Hollow celebrated with a special gathering to re-cite the Pledge of Allegiance, and the entire school was engaged in activities that re-volved around citizenship, government, and the U.S. Constitution. Rolling Hills second grade teachers discussed the pre-amble and worked with their classes to draft class constitu-tions. First grade teachers en-hanced the lessons presented in the Social Studies unit, citizenship, and also created original class constitutions. The kindergarten teachers created a “Golden Rule” con-stitution with their students as a guide to treat everyone as you would like to be treated, keep your hands safe and say kind words.

Celebrating US History: Constitution Day

Pictured above are Wood Park Primary School second grade students in Mrs. Atlas, Mrs. Buonovolonta, Mrs. Sanseverino, Mrs. Gromalski, and Mrs. Marinello’s classes after their virtual fi eld trip to the National Archives in Washington, D.C.

T h e C o m m a c k C o u r i e r 6

Olivia was selected to participate with the NAfME All-National Honors Mixed Choir in Nash-ville, Tennessee on October 26-29. Participating in All-County and All-State Festivals is quite an ac-complishment. Performing at the All-National Fes-tival is the highest honor a student musician can achieve. It recognizes that you are amongst some of the fi nest musicians throughout the nation.

Eight Commack High School instru-mental and vocal musicians were selected to participate in the 2014 New York State School Music Association (NYSSMA) All-State Winter Conference. The selection of these talented students followed com-petitive auditions involving thousands of music students from throughout New York State. During a lengthy selection process that takes place during the summer, mu-sic educators from across the state gath-ered to select the fi nest musicians to per-form in various All-State ensembles. The concerts will take place in the Eastman Theater located in Rochester, New York in December. “It’s quite an honor to be se-lected to perform in an All-State ensem-ble,” stated Mr. Paul R. Infante, Director of Fine and Applied Arts. “Each of these musicians possesses exceptional talent and we are proud to have them represent Commack.”

All-State Students 2014

Alexandra - Soprano II Women’s ChorusJae Yoon - Violin String Orchestra

Rahul - Alto Saxophone Symphonic Band Courtney - Alto II Women’s ChorusVeronica - Soprano II Mixed Chorus

Sarah - Alto I Women’s Chorus Stefanie - Oboe Symphony Orchestra Shira - Bb Clarinet Symphonic Band

In photo with the students (listed below) are Paul R. Infante and high school lead music teacher, Frank Hansen.

ALL STATE MUSICIANS ALL STATE MUSICIANS

National RecognitionNational RecognitionWINTER CONCERT SCHEDULE

BURR INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL December 10 - Concert I - 7:00 p.m.December 15 - Concert II - 7:00 p.m.December 17 - Snow Date Winter Concerts 7:00 p.m.MANDRACCHIA/SAWMILL INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL December 10 - Concert I - 7:00 p.m.December 15 - Concert II - 7:00 p.m.December 17 - Snow Date Winter Concerts 7:00 p.m.MIDDLE SCHOOLDecember 1 - Winter Concert/Art Show I - 7:00 p.m.December 3 - Winter Concert/Art Show II - 7:00 p.m.December 9 - Winter Concert/Art Show III - 7:00 p.m.December 16 - Winter Concert/Art Show IV - 7:00 p.m.January 6 - Snow Date Winter Concert/Art Show I & III - 7:00 p.m.January 12 - Snow Date Winter Concert/Art Show II & IV - 7:00 p.m.HIGH SCHOOLDecember 2 - Winter Concert /Art Show I - 7:30 p.m.December 8 - Winter Concert/Art Show II - 7:30 p.m.December 18 - Winter Concert/Art Show III - 7:30 p.m.January 13 - Snow Date Winter Concert/Art Show I, II - 7:30 p.m. January 15 - Snow Date Winter Concert/Art Show III - 7:30 p.m.

T h e C o m m a c k C o u r i e r 7

During their three years at Mandracchia Sawmill Intermediate School, Girl Scout Ju-nior Troop 444 collect-ed plastic water bottles from decorated boxes they placed in all the class-rooms at their school and also at Wood Park Primary School. These same young ladies, now sixth graders at the middle school, used the money they re-ceived from recycling to purchase books and

DVDs for the libraries at both schools. At Sawmill, the troop presented the gifts to Principal Mi-

chelle Tan-credi and Librarian, Su-sanne Lerch-er, along with hugs (photo). The theme of

the gift was, of course, recycling and protect-ing the environment. The gift was also the fi nal step of the troop’s Bronze Award Project. Thanks to Troop 444 for all their efforts!

Rewarding Recycling Efforts

Rolling Hills R.O.C.K.S. Dozens of Rolling Hills families gathered at Ralph’s Ices to enjoy a cool dessert, to visit with friends, and to help raise funds to support Arts in Education programs at Rolling Hills Primary School. The star attraction was Principal Studley, who thor-oughly enjoyed serving ices and ice cream to the large crowd. She got a huge kick out

of a kindergarten student who saw her at school the next morning and said, “I saw you at your other job, scooping ices!” We are sad that shortly after this event, Ralph’s was damaged in a fi re. In photo at right, Mrs. Studley behind the counter with some of her eager customers.

The fi rst graders in Mary Fox and Jeanne Waldman’s classes at Indian Hollow Pri-mary School joined together to get to know one another and learn about ways to demonstrate honesty. After listening to a story, the students then worked with their new friends to com-plete a graphic organizer, il-lustrating ways they believed would be good examples of honesty. Some examples:

• “We were honest with

our parents when we did something wrong.”

• “We were honest with our teacher when she asked who did some-thing.”

• “We were honest with our friend when we used something with-out asking.”

The completed projects were displayed with pride, al-lowing the students of Indian Hollow to view reminders of ways to be truthful and hon-est.

Let’s Be Honest: Indian Hollow Character Trait

T h e C o m m a c k C o u r i e r 8

For the past twenty years, the entire school gathers on the back lawn of Indian Hollow Primary School for an all-school photo. This isn’t your ordinary photo, as each year a new shape, fi gure, or object is

formed by the students and staff. In years past, there were photos in the shape of a tree, a “C” for Commack, and last year, the number “50” to commemorate the school’s 50th Anniversary. This year the staff and students braved a windy and slightly wet

day to create an American Flag, in red, white, and blue. To view a short video of the event: www.youtube.com/watch?v=DaHByAsABek&feature=youtu.be (on Commack’s YouTube Channel/

Think Before You Post

INDIAN HOLLOW TRADITION CONTINUES WITH PATRIOTIC SCHOOL PHOTOINDIAN HOLLOW TRADITION CONTINUES WITH PATRIOTIC SCHOOL PHOTO

It is always good practice to “think before you speak.” In today’s culture of high speed communication, perhaps that advice should change to; “Think before you speak, post, text, or message.” With thousands of ways to communicate via mobile phones and the accompanying social media apps, at times there is little thought to the pervasiveness and ramifi cations of what is made public. And once anything is posted anywhere, in words, photos, or videos, it is diffi cult, if not impossible, to erase or delete it. Privacy issues abound with the sharing of personal information, exposing the user to fraud, embarrassment, and bullying. Sites and apps that are used anonymously, like YikYak, can be socially and emo-tionally devastating. As educators, we seek to integrate technology into the classroom, to devise new ways of teaching that mesh with students’ constant inter-action with their “smart” phones and the Internet. Curriculum integrat-ing evolving technology to spark stimulating projects and teaching is a major change to the decades-long traditional classroom lecture and notes method. Hand in hand with the use of technology is learning to stay safe w h i l e using it. Social media may be a great way to stay

in touch with family and friends, but its exces-sive use without proper guidelines can also be a nightmare. It is diffi cult at best to keep up with all the different ways that students com-municate. A study by researchers at the Universi-ties of California, Rochester, and Essex “Motivational, Emotional and Behavioral Correlates of Fear of Missing Out” found the most obsessed users of social media are more concerned with the number of posts they see, and not the content of those posts. It was found that a lack

of posts actually affected students’ moods, and doctors have identifi ed a condition now called FoMO, Fear

of Missing Out.

An enormous amount of time is spent by our staff due to postings on social media that impact our stu-dents emotionally. This new phe-nomena takes precious time and resources away from the educa-tional process. Our teachers, staff, and ad-ministrators need help - espe-cially from our students’ par-ents - to monitor and educate our children in the use of social media. Social media does have some benefi ts, but not at the cost of pre-venting children from engaging in real-world activities. Encourage social interaction through face to face discussion, or through athletics, clubs, honor societ-ies, or community service. Play a game with your family, go for a walk,

visit friends or grandparents. Leave the phone at home, or at least in your pocket. Ban electronics at the dinner table, and for an hour be-fore bed (which will lead to a bet-ter night’s sleep), and don’t put the phone under a pillow (it can cause a fi re). Most importantly, let your children know that if something feels wrong, it probably is.For more insight into how our chil-dren are using social media, check out the Parent Help section on the Commack Website, and view the “Kids and Social Media” presenta-tion.

T h e C o m m a c k C o u r i e r 9

At the end of school last year, under Dr. Adele Pecora's guidance, the intermediate students were given a book-bag containing a sug-gested Summer Reading List, a Summer Reading bookmark (sec-ond grade), or a Summer Reading journal (grades three and four). The purpose of the Summer Reading Program was to: • Encourage students to become

lifelong readers • Teach students how to think

critically about what they are reading

• Connect students and fami-lies with local libraries, book stores, and community orga-nizations

• Expose students to different types of authors and charac-

ters • Help students develop reading

and writing skills through dif-ferent types of reading experi-ences.

The students were encouraged to read at least one book and com-plete the bookmark or journal. Since there was an overwhelm-ing response from our students here at Burr, we felt every student that participated in this event was a WINNER! Carol Tierney, our librarian at Burr, purchased new reading books for our students. Each class was awarded three new reading books. Remember to participate in next year's Commack Summer Reading Program!

Students pose with their chosen book with staff and admin-istrators , left to right: Assistant Superintendent for Cur-riculum and Instruction, Dr. Adele Pecora, Principal Paul Schmelter, and teachersThalia Yassen, Nancy Hirsch, and Suzanne Lefebvre.

Summer Reading Reaps Rewards

Participating in any physical activity carries the risk of injuries. The Commack School District’s Athletic Program is pre-pared for all on-fi eld or on-court traumas or emergency situations.

General Safety Protocols

• All Physical Education (PE) teachers and all coaches are required to acquire “Concussion Certifi cation.”

• All coaches at the middle school and high school are First Aid, CPR, and Automated External Defi brillator (AED) certi-fi ed.

• There is at least one AED in each school building, and an AED is always present on the athletic fi eld, whether games are at home or away. An ambulance and doctor are pres-ent for all varsity, junior varsity, and middle school football games.

• All contact sports equipment is reconditioned and tested by an outside company annually to detect any damage or imperfections. Through this process, subpar equipment is discarded.

• Locker rooms and weight training rooms are disinfected with a safe but effective product on a daily basis to prevent the spread of germs. The same is true of wrestling mats that might otherwise harbor bacteria.

State of the Art Concussion Management

Concussions and head injuries are unfortunately a common-ly reported injury in children and adolescents who participate in sports and recreational activities. A sideline concussion protocol is followed for all athletes. Commack’s Athlete Concussion Management Protocol (see the Commack Website for the entire protocol) states, “Any student demonstrating signs, symptoms, or behaviors consistent with a concussion while participating in interscholastic athletic activity will

be removed from the game or activity and be evaluated immedi-ately, and will not return to play that day. Commack School District will notify the student’s parents or guardians and recommend ap-propriate monitoring.” The fi ve component plan also includes educating parents and students, proper Emergency Room follow-up, and necessary “Return to Play Protocol.” Baseline neurocognitive impact testing (computer based) is done preseason for all varsity and junior var-sity contact sports athletes. This baseline testing is repeated every two years, through St. Charles Hospital. During each season’s mandatory parent athletic code nights, concussion protocol/education is presented to parents.

A PTA Athletic Advisory Board also meets monthly with our Ath-letic Director, Patrick Friel, to discuss any matters that may arise. If you have any questions about Commack’s safeguards or pro-cedures, please contact our Athletic Director, Patrick Friel, at 912-2080. Please visit our Comprehensive Concussion Management page for additional valuable information: www.commack.k12.ny.us/athleticdepartment/impactconcussion.asp.

T h e C o m m a c k C o u r i e r 10

Julia, a senior at Com-mack High School, is one of 20 Scholar Artists named by the Long Island Arts Alliance for the 2014-15 school year. Julia was featured in Newsday and received a $250 award. She will also attend a formal ceremony at the Tilles Center. Nominated in May by Kim-berly Cisek, an English and IB Dance teacher at the high school, Julia is a member of the National Honor Society and the treasurer of the Italian Honor Society. She volunteers in the community as a dance teacher at the “Cougarette for a Day” event for local children, and at a soup kitchen every Thanks-giving. Julia participated in the dance benefi t “Dancers Re-sponding to Aids,” the Relay for Life, and the Long Island Breast Cancer Walk at Jones Beach.

The piece Julia submitted to LIAA Scholar-Artist Committee was a solo that she choreo-graphed titled “Ctrl+Alt+Dlt,” which follows the life an indi-vidual who becomes so depen-dent on technology that she eventually becomes a machine. Its message is to use technolo-gy sparingly, and to encourage human interaction. Julia received her fi rst 13 years of training at Dix Hill’s Jam Dance and Fitness Center. Her mom is also a dance teach-er. Currently, she is Captain of the award-winning Commack Varsity Cougarettes, under the leadership of coaches Keira Keenan and Antonina Iannitelli. In the near future, she hopes to lead her team to victory at National Dance Alliance’s Com-petition in Orlando, Florida, this March.

Scholar Artist Award for IB DancerScholar Artist Award for IB Dancer

Julia (center) is congratulated by IB Coordinator Eliot Lewin, Principal Catherine Nolan, IB Dance teacher Kim Cisek, and

Director of Fine and Applied Arts, Paul R. Infante.

Should you touch a downed power line? Should you use a fork to get your bagel out of the toaster? Should you leave a pot holder near the stove? Should you hide in the closet if there’s a fi re in your house? Those are just a few of the questions posed by Mike Breslin, the Life and Fire Safety Educator from the Com-mack Volunteer Fire Department. Every year, the fi re de-partment brings its fi re safety house to our schools. This year the department also brought a fi re truck that the chil-

dren could sit in. Each fi rst grade class at C o m m a c k ’ s four primary school sent-ers the safety house, which has a kitchen and bedroom. A specially equipped stove ignites realistic fl ames in a pot (smother the fi re with a pot cover), and Mr. Bres-lin speaks about kitchen safety, candles, overload-ed power strips, irons, and the importance of having a working fi re ex-tinguisher.

Moving into the bedroom area, discussion centers on what to do if there’s a fi re in the home; get low and go under the smoke! Don’t go back into a burning house for pets. Feel the door before you open it. GET OUT! The children practice climbing down a lad-der or jumping from the bedroom window (onto soft mats). Don’t forget to install new batteries in your smoke detectors when Daylight Savings Time ends on November 2 (set clocks back one hour)! In photo above, CFD fi refi ghters with Susan Eberhardt’s class at North Ridge Primary School. A student jumps to safety in the photo at the left. Video!

Fire Safety: It’s Not Just 9-1-1

T h e C o m m a c k C o u r i e r 11

Kicking for a Cure for Cancer

Students at Burr “kicked” off the year with a “Kick for a Cure” soccer tournament. Students from each grade level participated for three days of before-school soccer activities. Physical Edu-cation teachers organized teams, offi ciated during the games, and coordinated the fundraising efforts. Over $2,000 was raised for the American Cancer Society.

Many thanks to the parents who helped transport the young players to school, took photos, and made generous donations to help support vital cancer research. Mr. Schmelter, Principal, was very proud of the turnout, especially so early in the school year. “Over 200 students participated in this fun community service event. What a great way to begin the school year!”

Athletic Director Patrick Friel, PE Instructor Will Seifert, and tennis pros with fi rst graders in Mrs. Neri’s class.

Tennis Anyone? Rolling Hills Pro Class

There’s always a new and exciting ac-tivity to look forward to during physical edu-cation at Rolling Hills Primary School! Early this school year, all the children were treated to a week of tennis instruction, assisted by the professionals from Spor-time Kings Park. Physical education teacher, Will Seif-ert, said, “We aim to introduce our students to a healthy, active lifestyle during PE classes. Keeping them active and engaged and exposing them to as many different sports as possible is key.” All the children got a chance to work with the pros on racquet skills, balance, coordination, and agility. “I was very im-pressed with what the kids were able to accomplish throughout the course of the week”, said Jason Wass, Director of Tennis for Sportime Kings Park. The children were all thrilled to receive a Certifi cate of Achievement for their new tennis skills.

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UPDATE YOUR CONTACT INFORMATION TODAY! Is your email address up to date?

Vital school to home information is sent via email, text, and phone. More than ever, we are using email and texts to inform you about school matters.

Parents: The best way to update your email information is on the Parent Portal. Instructions for updat-ing your email address and for fi rst time sign-ups are on the Commack Website. Just click the Parent Portal button on the top of the page for instructions. To update other contact information, please fi ll out the form here: www.commackschools.org/forms/studentdatachangeform.pdf

Community Members/Parents:For Community News, you can update your email address, text number, and preferences by clicking the Email Notifi cation link on the top of the home page.

Attention Commack History BuffsAttention Commack History Buffs Commack’s Historical Committee is making great progress in the or-ganization of over 100 years of memorabilia from the Commack School District. Several books have been digitized, including the “100 Year” book. The books can be accessed on the Commack Website (under the Community News button). Don’t throw away your old yearbooks, class photos, pennants, or team jerseys! Please consider donating these items to the committee. Of special interest are photos of venues that no longer exist, such as shopping centers or places like the Long Island Arena. Please be sure to add the donor’s name and the date on all donated items. The committee is also interested in interviewing and videotaping residents who have lived in Commack for 50 or more years who might be part of Commack’s historical past. Meetings are held on the first Tuesday of each month (when school is in session) at 3:30 p.m. in the Hubbs Administration Building on Clay Pitts Road. The committee can be contacted by leaving a message at the main switchboard (631) 912-2000.

www.commackschools.org

Commack Board of Education:

Deborah Guber - PresidentSteven Hartman - Vice President

Trustees: Janine DiGirolamo, MaryJo Masciello, James Tampellini

Superintendent of Schools: Dr. Donald A. James