Former high school associate principal Jeanne Kozlowsky has been named the new district administrator for secondary curriculum and instruction, replacing Christine Criscione.

Before serving as associate principal at the high school for seven years, Kozlowsky worked as a math teacher at the school for six years prior.

An East Setauket resident, she obtained her bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering from North Carolina State University, her master’s degree in adolescence education mathematics at Long Island University and her graduate certificate in educational leadership from Stony Brook University.

“I have had the pleasure of working within the Deer Park School District for the last 13 years,” said Kozlowsky. “Collaborating with our parents and community members to ensure students’ success continues to be the goal of our educational team. I look forward to working with all the dedicated teachers, administrators and staff who are committed to delivering instruction that prepares students for the next phase of their education or future.”

The district has welcomed three new associate principals to the administrative team. Kristen Anisis and Sean O’Brien will work at Deer Park High School, and Heather Levine will serve at John Quincy Adams and May Moore primary schools.

Anisis previously worked as an English teacher at Freeport High School. The Long Beach resident earned her bachelor’s degree in English from Stony Brook University, a master’s degree in literacy at Queens College and a post-master’s certificate in educational leadership from Stony Brook.

“I am honored to join the administrative team at Deer Park Schools,” said Anisis. “I am excited to serve this wonderful community and will tirelessly work to reach our collective goal of student success.”

O’Brien most recently worked for three years as a school counselor at Elmont Memorial High School, and previously served as a guidance counselor at Roosevelt High School. A resident of Saint James, he earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology fron Stony Brook University, and his master’s degree in school counseling from Long Island University.

“ I look forward to working together with the amazing faculty and families of Deer Park High School as we prepare our students for the future,” he said.

Prior to joining the Deer Park administrative team, Levine worked for the Connetquot Central School District as a special education administrator. She has been in the field of education for over 14 years, and previously worked as special education teacher, chairperson and supervisor, as well as an instructional coach for the New York City Department of Education.  Levine earned her bachelor of science in human development and sociology from Binghamton University, her master’s degree in special education and general education from St. John’s University, and a gifted and talented advanced course of study from Touro College. She later obtained an advanced certificate in school building and school district leadership from the College of Saint Rose, and participated in the Teachers as Leaders program through Columbia Teacher’s College.

“Education is my passion,” said Levine, who resides in Levittown. “I am deeply committed to collaboration and support for all our students and believe in staying current with newest research-based trends in education. The early childhood years are critical times for students. What happens during these years will have a lasting impression on their growth and development, and we are the foundation that gives each student the opportunity to become a lifelong learner.”

With small but symbolic American flags in their hands, the young students at John F. Kennedy, John Quincy Adams and May Moore honored Patriot Day by planting the flags in front of each school in honor of all those lost on 9/11. The schools also read poems, played the national anthem and offered a moment of silence.

“Although our students were born long after the tragic events of September 11, 2001 happened, we honor Patriot Day as a day of remembrance by planting flags and wearing red, white and blue,” said May Moore Principal Alicia Konecny. “We teach our students that 9/11 changed our world. But with each story of sorrow and pain comes one of hope and courage. As we move forward, all of us have an opportunity to become better people and to learn valuable lessons about heroism, love and compassion.”

  

 

The high school’s Italian Honor Society co-hosted a benefit dinner with the Brumidi Lodge Sons of Italy to raise money to help recovery efforts for victims of several recent earthquakes in central Italy.

Nearly 300 people were killed and hundreds displaced during these disasters, and numerous buildings were damaged, including homes, churches, businesses and hospitals. The students worked on different fundraisers to raise money for this cause.

At the benefit dinner, Italian Honor Society Secretary Peter Farquharson and adviser Josephine Conway presented a $500 donation check to Brumidi Lodge President Daniel Calisi to add to the proceeds of the relief fund.

Students from across the district got a great start on the year on Sept. 5 as the schools opened for the first day of learning.

“We were so thrilled to see such happy and excited students on day one of school,” said Robert Frost Middle School Principal Eliana Levey. “We’re looking forward to a phenomenal year.”

“Students arrived on the first day of school ready to learn,” said John F. Kennedy Intermediate School Principal Susan Bonner. “They were eager to enter the building and get started with the new school year. We are looking forward to many great times, adventures and learning experiences this year.”

“We are so happy to have the halls and classrooms filled with students again and are eager to begin another year full of engaging activities,” said John Quincy Adams Primary School Principal Christopher Molinelli.

“It was exciting to welcome our new pre-K and kindergarten students as well as our returning first- and second-graders,” said May Moore Primary School Principal Alicia M. Konecny. “Our teachers and support staff are eager to challenge our students to learn and accomplish great things – this is where we continue to develop the skills that build a strong foundation for learning.”

“I loved the first day of school because I have new teachers and I enjoyed writing and labeling our new supplies,” said May Moore first-grader Francesca Lathrop. “I think it’s going to be a great year.”  

 

 

 

 

 

Aided by guidance counselors and older students ready to lend a hand and word of advice, incoming sixth-graders at Deer Park’s Robert Frost Middle School attending orientation day on Aug. 24 familiarized themselves with their new school and the activities they can look forward to this year.

“It’s always great to see the excited faces and enthusiasm of our new students,” said Associate Principal Gary Ramonetti.

Welcoming the future Class of 2021, the high school held its freshman orientation on Aug. 30, providing the new ninth-graders a chance to familiarize themselves with teachers, guidance counselors and administrators. After an address by Senior Class President Alan Korsiak, upperclassmen gave the younger students tours of the building and spoke to them about what a typical day at the high school is like.

“This was a perfect opportunity for our incoming freshmen to start to experience the many wonderful activities that Deer Park High School offers our students,” said Principal Charles Cobb. “It’s a great event that signified the end of summer break and let us look forward to the upcoming school year.”

Maria Labate, a sixth-grader at Robert Frost, recently won first place in the Suffolk’s Got Talent competition. Labate, age 11, had competed earlier in the district’s Deer Park’s Got Talent event, and will move on to America’s Got Talent.

Members of the high school’s Patriot and SADD clubs hosted a picnic this summer at The Veterans Place in Yaphank, a shelter that provides housing and support for homeless veterans of Suffolk County.

Club members hung red white and blue decorations and a banner painted by art students. Food was donated by Texas Roadhouse of Deer Park, and dessert was baked by students from FACS teacher Patricia Skjoldahl’s class. The high schoolers socialized with the veterans and shared their appreciation for the latter’s service to the nation. The Patriot Club also made a $150 donation to the shelter and raffled off prizes donated by retired Deer Park teacher Janet Werner. 

“This trip was one of the year's highlights for our students,” said Patriot Club adviser Laurie Osbern. “Both the students and the veterans really enjoyed spending the afternoon together.”

“Ranger Eric” Powers of the Your Connection to Nature program recently assisted the high school Environmental Club and adviser Francis Amendola with a special project, hatching a batch of baby quail from eggs. Powers, Amendola and incoming seniors Isabella Colacioppo, Alan Kursiak, Angela Noh, Riya Sharma, Maheen Skakeel and Catherine Taipe also visited May Moore for a presentation on the quail egg project.

High School student Wasif Islam, who will start his senior year in September, was recently accepted into the prestigious Engineering Pipeline Program sponsored by National Grid.

The Pipeline is a six-year developmental journey for high school students to translate their interest in science, technology, engineering or mathematics into a future career in engineering. Each year, 45 juniors are selected who demonstrate a strong interest in science and math, and also have a minimum cumulative GPA of 87. While in the program, they are given the opportunity to participate in ongoing educational, job shadowing and mentoring activities, as well as competing for a select number of paid internships at National Grid. Accepted students must pursue an engineering degree, maintain a 3.0 GPA in college and participate in ongoing Pipeline activities; after graduation from college, they will be considered for future employment with National Grid.

An honors student taking multiple AP classes, Islam also serves as the captain of Deer Park’s Dark Falcons catapult team and is a member of the school’s National Honor Society and basketball team. He hopes to attend Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, majoring in aerospace engineering.

“Wasif is one of our most promising students, who takes on challenges and achieves his goals by his intelligent persistence and drive to succeed,” said technology teacher Bruce Sander, who, along with physics teacher Ted Smirlis and Board of Education trustee Keith Rooney, recommended Islam for the program. “He has been a core member of my Dark Falcons team, and can always be counted on to be there to help and offer his opinions regarding the design and engineering of the school’s catapult. He is one of the top students in my architecture and civil engineering class. His parents should be very proud of the child they have raised, who is kind to all others, a mentor to fellow students, respectful and sharply focused on his goals.”

Fifth-graders at JFK wrote to the Crayola company to try and reverse the retirement of the yellow crayon color known as dandelion this past spring. While their efforts to bring back dandelion did not succeed, Crayola representative Deborah Lintvedt thanked the students for their arguments and suggestions, and sent them a special package of crayons to recognize their effort.

Ecology-minded artists from JFK participated in two recent poster contests promoting recycling, earning accolades for their work.

In the New York State Senate’s Earth Day Poster Contest, organized by State Sen. Phil Boyle, JFK fifth-grader Haley Reyes was named the first place winner. Her poster, reflecting the theme of “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle,” was hung in Boyle’s offices.

In the annual Covanta recycling poster contest, winners from JFK were third-graders Kaylee Nguyen (who won first place in grades 1-3) and Jaidyn Schabe (third place for grades 1-3), fourth-graders Isabella LaPuerta (third place in grades 4-6) and Gloria Min (first place in grades 4-6), and fifth-grader Juliana Meo (second place in grades 4-6). They were recognized by Covanta representative Mark O’Brien, Babylon Town Councilman Tony Martinez and Babylon Town Commissioner of Environmental Control Vicki Russell at a ceremony at the Covanta facilities in West Babylon. Having two first-place winners also earned JFK a $1,000 gift card to Barnes & Noble.

At a recent Board of Education meeting, Deer Park honored 44 high school students participating in the DECA club for their business achievements, including strong showings at DECA’s Suffolk County Regional Competition, the State Career Conference in Rochester and the International Career Development Conference in Anaheim, California. Each was presented with a certificate by business teacher and DECA adviser Gregory Menig. 

Fifteen Deer Park high school and middle school students were named winners in the 2017 edition of the Grand Concours National French Contest. Recognized were high school students Dana Berhalter, Rebecca Fox, James Raymond, Sameer Riaz and Catherine Taipe, and Robert Frost students Stanley Desir, Saima Hoque, Annie Jeanite, Deborah Oke, Kelissa Rendell, Katrina Rivera, Salar Saeed, Catarina Silva, Adam Stevens and Esteysey Yanes Amaya.

Le Grand Concours is an annual competition sponsored by the American Association of Teachers of French. French students in grades 1-12, in all 50 states and abroad, take a written test and compete against students with similar educational background for prizes.

Accompanied by French teacher Kimberly Lecamus, the students attended the Le Grand Concours awards ceremony. They were also honored by Deer Park’s Board of Education at a June business meeting, and presented with certificates by Ashley Rosenberg, the district’s curriculum associate for world languages.

Fifteen math-minded students from JFK were recently named Math Olympiad winners and honored at a Board of Education meeting for their achievement. Joined by teacher Lisa Baker, the students – Nick Aparicio, Matthew Flores, Jade Griffin, Damon Ierulli, Joann Jobson, Philip Kellarakos, Gloria Min, Dylan Nguyen, James Nguyen, Adithan Omprakash, Oviya Omprakash, Valentina Rebecca, Prisha Tanna, Jason Turner and Reza Zorakhsh – received certificates and congratulations from Superintendent Eva Demyen and the Board.