Home of the Commack Cougars: www.commackschools.org

STATE SOCCER CHAMPIONSSTATE SOCCER CHAMPIONS#1 in NY, #7 in US#1 in NY, #7 in US

C a p p i n g their win at the Long Island Championship game, the Com-

mack Boys Varsity Soccer Team contin-

ued their victorious season and brought home the NYSPHSAA Class AA State Championship on November 16, with a 2-0 win over Fairpoint. Played in Middletown, NY, the team had a thrilling victory on November 15 in the semifi nal game, with the only goal scored by Commack’s Anthony I. in overtime, beating Shenendowa 1-0. Anthony, a junior, was the star of the championship game, scoring both goals in the sec-ond half. Hundreds of people traveled to Middletown to cheer on the team, and even more supporters were on hand at Commack High School to cel-ebrate the team’s homecoming. The Commack Fire Depart-ment provided an escort for the team’s bus from the LIE north to the high school to rousing cheers from the waiting crowd. Buoyed by the outpouring of support and their triumph, the team led the crowd in chants

and a victory celebration that will not soon be forgotten! Video and photos from the games can be viewed on the Athletic Page on the Commack Website. Superintendent Donald James had high praise for the team. “These fi ne young men comported themselves with poise and character both on and off the fi eld. All of Commack is proud of their accomplish-ments and the entire commu-nity shares in their victory.” Coach David Viegas, ex-hausted but ecstatic, and hoarse from shouting, expressed his thanks to the team and the fans. “The show of support from the ENTIRE community, student body, parents, fac-ulty, building and district adminis-tration, Board of Education, and the Commack Soccer League has been over-whelming through-out this journey. Words cannot describe what we witnessed upon our arrival back to Commack High

School. Thank you to everyone and a special thank you to the Commack FD for the escort back to CHS! The TEAM would like to share this championship with all of Commack. Catherine Nolan, Principal of Commack High School, said the atmosphere in school is euphoric. “Our champions are commended for their athletic skill, their stamina, their fi ghting spirit, their CAN-DO attitude, and sheer will to make this hap-pen! Thanks to their coaches, Mr. Viegas and Mr. Moran, along with our Athletic Trainer, Ms. McConnell, and of course, Mr. Friel for all their support and leadership. And a very spe-

cial thanks to all our Commack FANS – our students - our staff - our parents and community who supported our team throughout the years and particularly this season.” The National Soccer Coaches Association of Amer-ica ranked Commack High School #7 in its Top 25 in the National Poll Rankings. Coach Viegas was named the League 1 Soccer Coach of the Year and Newsday’s Suffolk Coach of the Year. The team was honored with commendations from Con-gressman Steve Israel in a cer-emony on November 20 at the high school (photo below).

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December 2014

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

Homecoming was pic-ture perfect in every way this year. The festivities began with a spirited parade and ended with a shutout victory 20-0 for the Cougars. Led by Master of Cer-emonies Jim DelGiudice’s warm and funny persona, along with the fabulous Cou-garette kickline and cheer-leaders, the very entertain-ing “Happy” performance by the Marching Band, and the touching presentation of fl owers by the senior ath-letes to their moms, it was a fabulous day. The high school’s Stu-dent Council and class ad-visors did an exceptional job of organizing the event. “A day like this is a collab-orative effort,” said Student Council advisor, Eric Biagi. “Thanks to all who helped make homecoming such a successful and impressive event.” This year’s Commack High School Alumnus of Distinction is Christopher Petersen, Class of 2003. A graduate of Notre Dame, he worked in fi nance until 2008. Christopher always aspired to serve our country in the military, so he followed his heart and went through ar-duous two-year pararescue military training courses: Pararescue Indoctrination Course, Air Force Combat

Dive Course, Army Airborne School, Navy Military Free-fall School, Survival School, EMT-Basic and Paramed-ic and the PJ Apprentice Course. He was one of 10 of the original 90 soldiers who graduated. As part of the 103rd Rescue Wing of the United States Air Force, Christo-pher has deployed three times to Afghanistan in sup-port of Operation Enduring Freedom: in 2011, 2012, and 2014. Over this time period, he participated in numerous combat personnel recovery missions, resulting in Ameri-can, coalition, and Afghan lives saved. He was twice selected as Airman of the Quarter in 2012, as well as the New York Air National Guard’s Airman of the Year in the same year. His mili-tary decorations include the Bronze Star with Valor, sev-eral Air Medals, an Aerial Achievement Medal, and the Air Force Combat Action Medal. In 2013 he was se-lected as the USO National Guardsmen of the Year rep-resenting the entire United States National Guard, and also as the recipient of the Special Operations Medi-cal Association Pararescue Medic of the Year in 2013. Christopher, we salute you!

Homecoming 2014

#MACK

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

BOARD OF EDUCATIONMEETINGS

Thursday, January 15, 2015Thursday, February 12, 2015

Hubbs Administrative Center at 8:00 p.m.**The Board will convene at 6:30 p.m. and is expected to adjourn into Executive Session. Public meetings will commence at times

stated above.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!Schools will be closed beginning on

December 22 and will reopen on January 5.

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

www.commackschools.org

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

www.commackschools.org

NYSSMA Solo and Ensemble Information

http://www.commack.k12.ny.us/Music/

KINDERGARTEN REGISTRATIONKINDERGARTEN REGISTRATIONChildren who will be fi ve years old on or before 12/01/15 are

eligible for admission to Kindergarten for the 2015-2016 school year. Kindergarten registration will take place in January 2015.

Kindergarten Registration Packets will be mailed early December. If you feel you may not be on the district census, please call Linda

Caccamo in the Registration Offi ce at 912-2028.

The Commack Historical Committee invited new members and the Board of Education to visit their new “digs” at the Cedar Road School. A special guest, Sherman Carll (seated, center), who has an amazing recall for detail, assisted in identifying some of the items (a photo projector from the 1930s for one) and the people in some of the old photos. The committee has begun to organize the many items that have been donated and collected over the years. There is much work to be done cataloging, displaying, and digitalizing the boxes and boxes of memorabilia. If you are interested in becoming a member of the committee, or just donating some time to help, please contact Caro-lyn Gehlbach or Brenda Lentsch. They can be reached at 912-2000. If you would like to donate, please make sure to put your name and address on the item, and a description of the school or team it is associated with. Items can be dropped off at the Hubbs Administra-tion Building on Clay Pitts Road.

UPDATE YOUR CONTACT INFORMATION TODAY!

Vital school to home infor-mation is sent via email,

text, and phone. More than ever, we are us-

ing 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 updating your email ad-

dress 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.com-mackschools.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.

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

Thirty Commack High School student musicians performed in the annual High School All-County Festival. Recognized for their exceptional talents in band, chorus, and orchestra, they were se-lected by the New York State Council of Administrators of Music Education – Suffolk County Chapter (N.Y.S.C.A.M.E./Suffolk) and the Suffolk County Music Educators’ Association (S.C.M.E.A.). Students are chosen to perform in the All-County Band, Or-chestra, Mixed Chorus, and the Women’s Chorus after audition-

ing for music educators. This rigorous judging evaluation pro-cess is based on the New York State School Music Association (N.Y.S.S.M.A) standards. “Performing in this yearly event is one of the highest honors a student can achieve on the county level. We are extremely proud to have these young talented musicians represent the music de-partment in this, and other well-known music festivals,” said Paul R. Infante, Director of Fine and Applied Arts.

Music On A County ScaleMusic On A County Scale

The High School Marching Band and the Commack Cou-garette Kickline gave a special performance for the students at North Ridge Primary School. The band and kickline prac-ticed there during the weeks preceding the annual Newsday Marching Band Festival. Since the high school dismisses an hour earlier than North Ridge, the children at North Ridge could hear the high schoolers practicing, but couldn’t see the performance. The little children were very excited when they gathered on the back fi eld to watch the Marching Band live! This year, the band and kickline’s theme was “Happy,” from the kid favorite movie, “Despicable Me 2.” Three dancing minions magically appear during the routine, to the delight of

the audience. “This was a wonderful opportunity for the children to experi-ence fi rst-hand just one of the many music opportunities that the high school offers,” stated Paul R. Infante, Director of Fine and Applied Arts. The performance at North Ridge energized the members of the Marching Band and Cougarettes, and the little children were enthralled and delighted when the minions and band members in-teracted with them after the show. Photos from the Marching Band Festival are available for view-ing on the Commack Website. A special thank you goes to Mrs. Amy Dank for arranging the visit!

Marching Band Minions

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

Three Commack High School students were honored by the Town of Huntington at its annual Hispanic Heritage Cel-ebration. The dinner recognizes the culture of the Hispanic com-munity. The celebration includes a keynote address, musical per-formances, student and com-munity achievement awards, and refreshments. Students are recommended by their guidance counselors for this honor, based on academic achievement, community in-volvement, and other attributes.

Senior Jianna and juniors, Juliette and Louis, were hon-ored with Hispanic Heritage Proclamations. Jianna invited her former Spanish teacher, Ms. Olivares-Lazcano, to the event, who was delighted to attend. Congratulating the students, from left to right, standing, are: Director of Guidance, Jonathan Macaluso, High School Princi-pal, Catherine Nolan, and Su-perintendent of Schools, Dr. Donald James. Seated, left to right, are: Louis, Jianna, and Juliette.

High school students in Sandra Braun’s law classes experienced Judge Milian’s brand of justice when they attended a taping of “The People’s Court” in Connecti-cut. This was a very excit-ing experience for everyone involved including students, as well as parent chaper-ones. Student Vincent said, “This was the best day of my life!” Another student, Erin, said, “This trip is better than Christmas.”

The students watched cases about a wilted fl ower delivery, non-payment for services rendered, a com-puter repair company that took advantage of an elderly consumer, the purchase of a couch that turned out to be “smelly,” and a landlord/ten-ant dispute about rent. “Although we were on camera there were times that it was just too diffi cult to hold in the laughter. Some of the cases were just plain sil-ly, but a life lesson learned is that you win some, you lose some,” said Mrs. Braun.

After the taping the classes were treated to piz-za and a visit by Judge Mil-ian, who answered various questions and shared her background about being a judge in California and what brought her to “The People’s Court.” Plaintiffs and defendants in small claims cases have the chance to have them settled in binding arbitration on TV. It was a unique op-portunity to see the Ameri-can justice system in action and have some fun at the same time!

Hispanic Heritage Awards

Commack Students Go to Court

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

Commack Middle School sixth graders took a stand against bullying. In support of the school’s Anti-Bullying program and National Bul-lying Prevention Month, stu-dents reached out to their community by creating hand illustrated grocery bags with important messages such as: Be A Buddy, Not A Bully; See It, Say It, Stop It; The Bul-lying Stops Here; Don’t Be Mean Behind The Screen; and Everyone Matters!

The 500 + grocery bags, donated and distributed by Waldbaums (Mayfair Shop-ping Center), blanketed the Commack community, aim-ing to promote anti-bullying awareness. In photos, a sixth grade student and his younger brother Steven hold one of the bags with a message, and Michelle Sandler, Com-mack resident, with the bag she received while shopping.

Be a Buddy, Not a Bully

School Leaders: Teamwork and Collaboration

A group of Commack High School stu-dents from school leadership positions on the boards of Student Council, Boys and Girls Scholar Athlete Leadership, and class executive committees attended a leadership building workshop at Sunken Meadow State Park. The activities consisted of team build-ing through a series of ropes courses and other challenges that could only be complet-

ed by working as a collective group. This experience gave the students a much different way to interact with their peers than they would in a classroom setting. Af-ter the long day of successes and failures, the students came together to evaluate their teamwork throughout the day. The students were well-aware that they were only able to complete specifi c tasks with the help of their

peers and advisors. “This trip was a great opportunity for the kids to step outside of their comfort zones and let loose, while learning that wonderful things can be achieved with collaboration,“ said advisor Eric Biagi. “This program was a great way to assure the students that they can achieve whatever they want to with the power of positivity and teamwork.”

Each year the New York State English Council recog-nizes excellence in teaching and leadership by presenting awards at its annual conference. Throughout New York State, English Language Arts educators are nominated by their colleagues and are chosen by the Council because they inspire excellence in students, as well as teachers. We are proud to announce that Ms. Theresa Dono-hue, Coordinator of English Language Arts for Commack Schools, was nominated and chosen to be a 2014 Educa-tor of Excellence. Ms. Donohue was honored and recog-nized at a luncheon in Albany during the 64th Annual 2014 NYSEC Conference. In photo with Ms. Donohue (center) is high school prin-cipal, Catherine Nolan, and Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Donald James.

Recognized for Excellence in Education

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

Children Helping Children

Sawmill students in Stephanie Ierano, Christine Dennis, and Beth Considine’s classes put together “Happy Meals” to donate to Long Island Cares for Thanksgiving in lieu of a class party.

Burr students in Mrs. Levine’s and Mrs. Palamara’s classes collected donations of Halloween toys and treats to bring smiles to the children at Stony Brook Children’s Hospital. A little gesture can go a long way and create a lasting memory for others!

Socks were collected by middle school students and staff for the Socktober drive to “get kids and grown-ups to help the homeless in an easy, fun way.”

Keeping with the spirit of giving, Ms. Goldman’s fi fth grade class at Sawmill put their artistic talents and their generous hearts to work. After decorating paper bags like turkeys, students fi lled the bags with goodies for the holiday and donated them to Long Island Cares.

The Student Council at Sawmill collected over 1,600 non perishable food items and donated them to help the hungry through Long Island Cares.

Indian Hollow Primary School collected food for Long Island Harvest that was donated directly to children at the Phillips Avenue Elemen-tary School in Riverhead, which is setting up a food pantry.

“When we give cheerfully and accept gratefully, everyone is blessed.” ― Maya Angelou

We live in a special community, and the photos below show just a sampling of the many altruistic collec-tions that are happening in our schools. Collections of food, clothing, books, school supplies, electronics, toys, and personal items for those in need are held in all our schools to help those less fortunate. Thank

you all for your generosity and caring spirit!

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

Learning to Save a Life

First grade students from Rolling Hills Primary School spent a beautiful fall morning exploring science and nature

at the Fort Salonga Apple Farm. The farmers explained the process of pollination, and how the tiny, yet very helpful bees pollinate the trees and ap-ple blossoms for a successful harvest. The children took in the sights at the farm and picked their very own Fuji apples. After sampling some apple juice, they returned to Rolling Hills to write their personal narrative stories about their experience at the farm.

The children were amazed at how many ap-ples grow on each tree as each chooses a few to take home.

Nancy Carillo’s fi rst grade students pose with their bags of Fuji apples from the farm.

Fall Fun: The Science of Apples

A Trip Back in Time

Second graders from Rolling Hills Primary School took a trip back in time to 1880 when they visited the Long Island Mu-seum’s One Room Schoolhouse in Stony Brook. Each second grade class experienced a day in the life of a rural Long Island student at the Nassakeag Schoolhouse. The children dressed up in period costume and brought their “dinner” (lunch back then) in pails or baskets. They learned to write with a dip pen in Spencerian Script and did their math cal-culations using chalk and a slate board. The children cut wood with a bucksaw to burn in the potbelly stove to keep warm dur-ing the cold weather days. They even played recess games just as the rural students did back in 1880. As a follow-up activity, the Rolling Hills students are writing about their experiences back in 1880. In the photo above, Mrs. Helene Milani (the Schoolmarm) shares a photograph with the second graders in Mrs. Arlene Wynn’s class of some students who attended the Nassakeag One Room Schoolhouse long ago.

All Commack administrators are now CPR/AED certifi ed. “We want to be prepared for all emergency situations that might arise in our schools,” stated Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Donald James. “We practice our fi re drills, lockdown drills, and evacuation drills, and feel that one-on-one life saving and fi rst aid training further enhances our preparedness. We want as many people as possible to be ready to react immediately and confi dently when faced with a crisis situation.” Athletic Director, Patrick Friel, conducted the training session. “We certify our students in grades 7, 9, and 11 in CPR during their physical education classes,” Mr. Friel said. “Training is also done on a rotating basis for other school personnel, as well as all coaches (annually). There are Au-tomated External Defi brillators (AEDs) in each building, and one is always present at each athletic event, whether home or away.” At the hands-on training session (photo), Superintendent James practices chest compressions as Director of Science, Alison Celentano, and A.D. Pat Friel, operate the defi brillator.

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

Commack High School science students in ninth and tenth grades are researching two mas-sive projects, working in conjunction with the Town of Smithtown Planning and Community De-velopment Department. Students met with Town and Cornell Cooperative Extension profession-als, toured the Town archives, and learned how GPS equipment is used to map structures. The fi rst project involves mapping aging septic tank sys-tems in Smith-town for use in

future planning using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Quantum GIS mapping. GIS technology allows for visualization, analysis and interpretation of data to understand relation-ships, patterns, and trends. The second project is a study of digital maps and aerial photography (from 1940 to present) to

study erosion, particularly on the north shore in the Kings Park Bluff area.

1940 (left) and 2013 photos of the KP Bluff.1940 (left) and 2013 photos of the KP Bluff.

Students Assist Smithtown in Future Planning

Students at Burr Inter-mediate School who partici-pate in the Peer Mediation Program discussed how they could help save lives and help kids around the world. There are children who need food, clean water, medicine, and those who have been caught in natural disasters. They decided to Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF, an organization that works to give these children healthier lives and brighter fu-tures. This year, the Burr Peer

Mediators collected $65.00, enough money to buy vaccines to protect 100 kids from mea-sles, and a soccer ball for chil-dren in refugee camps. Peer Mediators are a select group of fi fth grade students at Burr who are trained to help settle small disputes amongst their peers. As a Peer Mediator, students gain confi dence in their abilities to help themselves and others. Nicole Ryback, the advisor for the group said, “Our Peer Me-diators are always looking for ways to see how they can help on a global scale!”

Peer to Peer - Saving LivesPeer to Peer - Saving Lives

It All Adds Up for CMS Math StudentsIt All Adds Up for CMS Math Students

dd AA i SS i hh i F Pll i

Three Com-mack Middle School students were recognized as Long Island Young Scholars of Math-ematics by the In-stitute of Creative Problem Solving for Gifted and Tal-ented Students at The College at Old Westbury. The students qualifi ed by tak-ing an exam and submitting written

statements. Eighty-four students were chosen from a fi eld of 600 nominated students. In photo, Com-mack’s Scholars of Mathematics Gabri-el, Catherine, and Jordan, are con-gratulated by Prin-cipal, Anthony Da-vidson, lead math teacher, Harry Cuff, and Barbara Ger-son, Coordinator of Mathematics.

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

The students in Diane Gandolfi ’s kindergarten class at Rolling Hills learned about the freedoms that we have as Americans and how lucky we are to live in our coun-try. Attending school, singing the songs we like, voting, working and having choices are some of the many free-doms that we are so fortunate to enjoy. Mrs. Gandolfi encourages her students to partici-pate in Commack’s Support Our Troops Week by do-nating items, making cards, writing letters, and drawing pictures. Her cousin served two tours in Iraq and one in Afghanistan, so she knows fi rst-hand how ap-preciated the packages are!

At left, third graders in Diane D’Allesandro and Patricia Ammirato’s classes at Burr Intermediate School worked side by side to prepare food and decorations for a Thanks-giving feast, assisted by helpful moms, dads, and grand-parents. Students created “I am Thankful” placemats and beautiful holiday cards with sweet messages for our sol-diers overseas.

Each year on Veterans Day, we take time to remember and pay homage to those who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces to preserve this nation’s

freedom. The Commack School District continues its support for those currently in our country’s service through programs such as ‘Cellphones for Soldiers,’ the ‘Wounded Warrior Project,’ and the ‘Support our Troops’ collection. This year, 50 boxes of supplies were collected throughout our schools. Over the last 10 years, we have shipped over 15,000 pounds to our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. In photo, Burr Principal and Desert Storm Army veteran, Paul Schmelter, with Community Relations Coordinator, Debbie Virga, and Burr students who assisted in packing the many items collected for our servicemen and women overseas and at Walter Reed Medical Center.

Sending Love and Supplies to our Troops

Wood Park students in Nancy McGeever’s class tied yellow ribbons around the trees in front of the school and prepared a tribute to Vietnam Veterans with a “White Table” setting in the lobby. The “White Table” recognizes a tradition that represents the depth of sacrifi ce made by service mem-bers held prisoner or missing in action. Photo at right.

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

Sublime ScienceSublime Science Can a sub-stance go di-rectly from a solid to a gas? Yes, according to the students in Mr. Fluger, Mrs. Bowring, and Mrs. Lom-bardi’s seventh grade science classes. The students con-ducted a lab during their “Phases of Mat-ter” unit to study the phase of “sublimation.” Sublimation is the tran-sition of a substance di-rectly from the solid to the gas phase without passing through an intermediate liquid phase. Students uti-lized dry ice to help achieve

a better understanding of the topic. Other substances such as camphor, methanol, and naphtha also change phases from solid to gas when heated. In photo above, Matthew Hagan, Noah Seskin, and Grayson Gustavson discov-er the results of sublimation

when dry ice is added to a liquid. Instead of melting, dry ice turns directly into carbon dioxide gas. In the photo at right, the bubble is really just fl oat-ing on a cushion of invis-

ible carbon dioxide gas - Students were then able to relate the phases of mat-ter to the stages of matter; and how the particles react during the changes from a solid, liquid, or a gas.

Commack High School Marine Biology students were treated to a Seaside Safari compliments of Marie Cancro, Marine Pro-gram Education Specialist, from the Suf-folk Cornell Cooperative Extension. Ms. Cancro was accompanied by a cornucopia of live creatures collected from waterways surrounding and on Long Island. Students experienced these amazing creatures and learned of their roles in the ecosystem and their signifi cance to humans. The critical importance of horseshoe

crabs to the medi-cal fi eld and to the migratory bird called the Red Knot was studied in depth prior to and af-ter Ms. C a n c r o ’s visit. Every species is i n te rcon -nected –

each one important, no matter how big or small. At its center is the humble horseshoe crab, a creature which has remained vir-tually unchanged for 350 million years. Its annual spring spawn-ing produces millions of eggs that are the lifeline for a tiny bird called the Red Knot, which mi-grates 10,000 miles from South America to the Arctic each year. Scientifi c and medical commu-nities have discovered that the crab also provides an indispens-able testing agent for drugs and vaccines, as well as resources for human optics and burn treatment. But horseshoe crab numbers are plummeting from their new use as bait for the fi shing industry, dropping by two-thirds or more since 1990. The pre-cious pyramid depending on this age-old creature is about to come crashing down. Science teacher, Vincent Cericola, said, “Lessons such as this link organisms’ unique characteristics, their importance to the environment and their relationship to humans. This enlightens young minds to the signifi cance of the life in the world that

surrounds them. This visit was made pos-sible by the PTA’s Arts in Education fund, We are grateful for the generosity of the PTA’s Arts in Education Committee, which sponsored this educational experience for our students.” To view a video about the symbiotic re-lationship between the horseshoe crab and the Red Knot, please visit: www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/episodes/crash-a-tale-of-two-species/video-full-episode/4772/.

Michael holds a dog whelk. The sea creature comes out of its shell when you hum (vibra-

tion).

Science students hold a live horseshoe crab from the Suffolk Cornell Cooperative Extension.

The Cri cal Importance of Every Living Creature

POSTAL PATRONCommack Union Free School DistrictCommack, New York, 11725

NON-PROFITCARRIER ROUTE

PRE-SORTUS POSTAGE PAID

PERMIT NO. 8Commack, NY 11725

Commack Middle School is launching an exciting new project, “One Book, One School,” in which CMS families and staff are invited to read the novel, Wonder, by R.J. Palacio. The purpose of this project is to promote reading and encourage con-versations about how “choosing kind” can inspire great things. In addition to various in school activities planned throughout this school year, students and their families will be invited to join together in the spring for a school community book club night. It will be a night where parents, students and staff will have a chance to share their thoughts and refl ect about the book. It’s not often that we come across a novel that opens up conversation about the many dynamics, problems, and won-ders middle schoolers face. The critically acclaimed novel Wonder is one of those books. Wonder brings us into the world of Auggie, a fi fth grader who has been home schooled his entire life due to health issues linked to a facial deformity developed since birth. He is now entering a private school for the fi rst time. Told through the perspec-

tive of not only Aug-gie, but of his friends, classmates and fam-ily members, the reader is offered an inside view of Aug-gie’s world. While some stu-

dents and adults in Commack have had the pleasure of read-ing this book already as an inde-pendent read or with a teacher, this book begs to be read and shared by all of us. The story is an incredible conversation starter because it encompass-es themes such as friendships, betrayal, bullying, acceptance, relationships, and overcoming obstacles. These are many of the issues that our own middle school students contend with daily. Students will have a chance to refl ect on the book through many activities planned throughout the year. There will be a win-ter book club after school for teachers and students to share their own experiences sparked by the story. Students will be invit-ed to independently write or draw their per-sonal connections to the book through an extracurricular writing project. Some clubs are using the book to inspire club projects. There will be Read Aloud Night at the Com-mack Public library in late winter, and CMS students will have the opportunity to read aloud books with similar themes to younger children. Every morning students will hear from a mystery reader who will share an ex-cerpt from the book Wonder or a precept from its spin-off book, Mr. Browne’s 365 Days of Wonder. While this is a voluntary read for ev-eryone involved, there are many great op-

portunities for families to gain access to this book. There are copies in the middle school library, and English classrooms that were donated by teachers or on loan from fel-low classmates. Barnes and Noble in East Northport has a table on display for Wonderand similar titles in the children’s section. Kerry Vitola, lead reading teacher at CMS, suggests, “If you’ve already read Wonder, a detailed list of similar books and many other resources for parents, stu-dents, and teachers can be found on the CMS website under the “One Book, One School: Wonder” link. The link will continue to be updated with school activities, home reading ideas, and club highlights. You may also scan the QR code for access to the Powtoon video explaining this project. We encourage you to join the CMS community in promoting reading and continuing great discussions at home about the different connections you all may have to Wonder.” “When given the choice between being right or being kind, choose kind.” R. J. Pala-cio.

“I don’t think we can teach empathy, but we can inspire it!” R.J. Palacio

One Book, One School: WonderGET READY FOR A WONDERFUL READING EXPERIENCE!

Best wishes for a safe and happy holiday from the Commack Schools Family!

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