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Huntington, Northport, Commack Announce School Reopening Models

by Rita J. Egan - August 14, 2020

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Huntington-High-School-w-8 — Huntington High School. File photo

Many students in Huntington’s North Shore school districts will experience a mix of in-person and online learning to start off the school year.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) gave the green light for schools to reopen come September during a media call Aug. 7.

“You look at the infection rate — we are probably in the best situation in the country,” Cuomo said.

The governor recommended that school districts offer community discussion to find common ground for families and teachers. School districts in New York state were required to submit reopening plans by July 31 unless administrators filed for an extension.

Huntington Union Free School District

In a July 31 letter to Huntington school district families, Superintendent James Polansky said the 2020-21 academic year would begin with a hybrid model where students would be assigned to cohorts in each school. Each cohort will have days when they attend school in person and when they study remotely. Kindergarteners, however, will attend every day.

“The plan is set to work in ‘phases,’ which will support the incremental shift to more frequent in-school learning for a greater number of students at times when it is safe to do so,” Polansky said in the letter. “Recognizing the concern on the part of some families regarding those medically at risk or experiencing anxiety in the household, we will also offer the option of a full remote (distance learning) program.”

Out of 1,692 parents surveyed earlier this summer, in-school learning was slightly more preferred than a hybrid model, and more than 20% preferred in-school over remote learning.

According to the district’s reopening plan, students in grades 1-6 will be separated alphabetically into two groups. Those with last names starting with A to K will attend school Tuesdays and Wednesdays, while those with last names L through Z will go to classes in person Thursdays and Fridays. The cohorts will alternate attending school on Mondays.

Finley Middle School and Huntington High School students will return to school one or two days per week in four separate cohorts. When not physically in school, students will learn virtually with teachers livestreaming their instruction and mirroring the same in-school, period-by-period schedule.

The superintendent added in the July letter that classrooms and other spaces were set up to maintain the required 6 feet of social distancing. Students will be required to wear masks but will have mask breaks during the day. Learning spaces will also include translucent barriers to help prevent the spread of aerosol particles.

Families are required to take their child’s temperature before the student leaves home, according to the reopening plan, and the parent or guardian will also be required to answer screening questions on an electronic application. Staff members will be required to do the same before they report to their buildings.

Northport-East Northport Union Free School District

Superintendent Rob Banzer wrote in an Aug. 2 letter to the community that a team of administrators and teachers created plans for three different possible scenarios. The plans included an in-person option, the continuation of 100% remote learning and a hybrid approach. The district was given an extension by the state to submit its recommended plan by Aug. 7 instead of the original deadline of July 31.

After Cuomo’s Aug. 7 announcement that school buildings could open, the district decided to go ahead with its hybrid plan. According to the reopening plan, all students will be divided into two cohorts, blue and gold. Students in the blue group will attend school in person on Mondays and Thursdays, while the gold group will report to buildings Tuesdays and Fridays. Remote learning will take place when they are not in school. Special education classes and English language learners will attend school every day but Wednesday.

“I cannot emphasize enough the importance of flexibility, adaptability and resiliency as we move towards the opening of school,” Banzer wrote.

All students and staff members will be required to complete a daily health-screening questionnaire, according to the plan. In addition to students and staff members being asked to distance at least 6 feet, there will be physical barriers in some cases. The plan also includes that masks will be worn on buses and when 6 feet of distance cannot be maintained. In addition to meals, students will not have to wear masks when sitting 6 feet apart in classrooms.

Commack Union Free School District

While elementary school students will attend school every day in person, secondary students will be in buildings every other day. The recommended plan depended on the district resolving transportation issues, which according to the Commack schools’ website, was accomplished recently.

The district offered families to opt out of transportation for the upcoming school year. The number of riders needed to be reduced was 50% to allow all elementary students to attend school daily, according to the district’s reopening plans.

“The Commack School District is committed to bringing all elementary students back into their school buildings this fall,” the plan read. “Therefore, it is necessary to reduce the number of elementary school riders by 50%. If we fail to reduce our elementary ridership by 50%, elementary students will not be able to attend ‘brick and mortar school’ daily, and students would attend every other day engaging in remote learning on the days they are not in a school building.”

Currently, buses that usually seat 64 can only transport 22 to allow for social distancing.

Elementary school students in Commack will be divided into groups A and B, with A taking core classes in the morning and then lunch and gym, art and other enrichment classes in the afternoon. The B group’s schedule will be the opposite.

High school and middle school students will have capacity in the building reduced to 50% and students will attend schools on alternating days. There is also a plan for teachers to change classrooms instead of students to minimize traffic in hallways. An every other day school schedule will be applied where the A group will attend school Monday, Wednesday and Friday on the first week and Tuesday and Thursday the next week. Students in the B group will attend Tuesday and Thursday the first week and Monday, Wednesday and Friday the second week.

Students will be required to wear masks when not seated at their desks and every desk will have a plastic sneeze guard. According to the district’s Q&A on its website, parents and guardians are encouraged to take children’s temperatures at home and will complete an attestation on a COVID app confirming that their child does not have a temperature above 100 degrees. Students’ temperatures will also be taken upon arrival at school with a temperature scanner.

Smithtown, Kings Park, Commack Recommend Different Reopening Plans

by Rita J. Egan - August 13, 2020

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Smithtown-Five-to-Thrive-Rally_081120_lina-weingarten6 — Families protest for five days of school in Smithown. Photo by Lina Weingarten

Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) gave the green light for schools to reopen come September.

“You look at the infection rate — we are probably in the best situation in the country,” Cuomo said during a media call Friday.

The governor recommended that school districts offer community discussion to find common ground for families and teachers.

Like many school districts in New York state, Smithtown township schools submitted their recommended reopening plans by July 31 but each offers a different plan for educating their students.

Smithtown Central School District

Smithtown decided on a hybrid model where half of the students will attend school in-person Mondays and Tuesdays and the other half will attend Thursdays and Fridays. Students will alternate attending classes on Wednesdays. The school will also offer remote learning with both real-time and recorded instruction for those who are unable to attend school in person or whose families chose not to send them during the pandemic.

In the FAQ section of the Smithtown district webpage, administrators said they chose not to have classes in person five days a week due to New York State Education Department guidance that requires schools to enforce social distancing of 6 feet apart in all school facilities, on school grounds and during transportation.

“We have a fundamental concern that, given the nature of schools, as well as the ages of the students we serve, the district felt that operating at full capacity would unnecessarily compromise the health and safety of our students and staff,” the district wrote.

Upon news of the recommendation of a hybrid model some parents reached out to the district to ask why the closed Nesconset and Branch Brook elementary schools couldn’t be opened to enable the social distancing required. The families also started the Open Up Branch Brook & Nesconset El!!!! Facebook group, which has more than 1,500 members, and protested in front of the New York Avenue administration building Aug. 5 and Aug. 11.

According to the school’s FAQ section, class sizes will be reduced by about 50 percent. That would still leave 1,600 students to be placed in the two buildings and social distancing would still not be possible. Currently enrollment in the seven open elementary schools is between 370 and 550 students each. The district added that an additional 170 teachers and other staff members would have to be hired if the two buildings were to open.

“The currently vacant buildings would also require multiple infrastructure, technology and security upgrades that would be needed to meet state requirements prior to approval for use by the NYSED.” the district said.

Families were sent a survey earlier in the summer to gauge interest in remote instruction and to find the feasibility of students returning full time. Survey results of elementary school families displayed at the end of July showed 19.5% said “yes” to full time remote learning even if school was full time and 13.9% said they would choose full time remote even if school was hybrid. More than half, 59.1% said they would have their child ride the bus. In another survey the results were 20%, 14.5% and 58.7%, respectively as of Aug. 6. Surveys were of an unknown sample size.

Students and employees will be asked to wear facial coverings on the bus, upon entry and exit of school buildings, common spaces and whenever students and staff cannot maintain proper social distancing. Due to desks being spaced out, students will be able to remove masks during classroom time, but they are encouraged to wear them at all other times. It is also recommended that students eat in classrooms to minimize the movement of people through the hallways, and 12 feet will be maintained between participants when engaging in physical activity, singing or playing wind instruments.

In an Aug. 10 letter to families, Russell Stewart, interim superintendent of schools, said the district was investigating if the reopening plan needed to be updated with additional details regarding remote learning, contact tracing and student and staff testing. The district has scheduled three additional board of education online meetings to provide public sessions for parents. The meetings are scheduled for Aug. 17, 19 and 21.

The district said students in the Extended School Year Program for Special Education students started the summer with a fully remote program and then transitioned to a hybrid model, which the district said worked well.

Kings Park Central School District

Even before students step out of their houses in Kings Park, every day during the week parents will be required to fill out an online student health self-screening form, which will require a temperature check and answers to questions such as if the child was exposed to a person with COVID-19 and if they have certain symptoms, including cough, fever and sore throat.

Parents submitted questions about the reopening plans, and they were published on Kings Park district’s website along with answers from the district. When asked why there weren’t temperature stations at the buildings, the district said taking every student’s temperature upon arrival is nearly impossible and would impact school start time.

“We need to remember that, while fever or chills (100 degrees or greater) is one of the top symptoms along with cough, shortness of breath and fatigue), current research on COVID-19 has shown that less than 50% of school-age students present with a temperature,” the statement read on the district’s website.

While it is encouraged for parents to drive their children to school, buses will still be available and students where both drivers will be required to wear masks.

The district has divided the recommended reopening plans into four models labeled green (safe), yellow (low risk), orange (moderate risk) and red (high risk).

While green means schools can reopen with five day in-person classes and no restrictions, the reopening plan said the scenario is unlikely until the pandemic is over or a vaccine is available to the general public.

The district’s yellow plan includes in-person class with restrictions, such as masks, social distancing and modifications to the day, including arrival and dismissal times, lunch, physical education and more. The orange plan, which the district will use for at least the first two weeks, will be a hybrid model to reduce building capacity by 50%. Students will be split up into two groups, where group A will go to school Monday and Thursday and the other, group B, will attend school Tuesday and Friday. On the other days, students will participate in remote learning, and buildings will be disinfected Wednesdays and Saturdays.

A remote option will be provided for students who are medically vulnerable or live with someone who is, and if the school’s must close buildings again, remote learning, the red plan, will be offered with both recorded and live instruction. English language learners and those who are in special needs classes will attend class in person every day.

According to the district’s Q&A section on reopening, students will be required to wear masks all day except when eating and during mask breaks. Alternate areas including classrooms, gymnasiums and outdoor spaces will be considered to spread out students during lunch.

Commack Union Free School District

Currently, buses that usually seat 64 can only transport 22 to allow for social distancing.

Smithtown Families Want Students in School Five Days a Week Come September

by Rita J. Egan - August 13, 2020

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More than 200 Smithtown school district parents and students made it clear that they want children in school five days a week.

On Aug. 11, members of the Facebook page Open Up Branch Brook & Nesconset El!!!! rallied outside of the district’s administration office on Main Street to call for five full days of school when classes start in fall. The group first protested on the site Aug. 5, and Tuesday’s event was held before the board of education’s meeting set for the same evening.

The families are asking for the district’s vacant Branch Brook and Nesconset elementary school buildings to be opened up once again in order for students to attend school five days a week in person starting in September. Currently, Smithtown students will return to school following a hybrid model where they will have in person instruction two or three days a week and the other days learn remotely.

During the protest, attendees shouted “five full days,” as an overwhelming amount of passing drivers honked their horns and gave the protesters the thumbs up. Some drivers even slowed down to cheer them on or read the signs.

Stacy Murphy, one of the organizers of the Facebook page, said members of the group submitted questions for that night’s BOE meeting. Many in attendance were disappointed that the public was unable to attend even though 50 or less is legally allowed under state COVID-19 guidelines. The meeting was instead viewed via live stream.

Murphy said parents have not been receiving answers to their emails recently and have been directed to the district’s website.

“We want to know the answers,” Murphy said. “We want to be heard. We are tired of our voices being stifled.”

Jennifer Cuomo said many feel the BOE abandoned a plan to have children in school five days a week and is not doing their job in educating their children. She added she believes they haven’t presented a good reason to not go back five days.

“We have empty buildings,” she said. “We have extra money in the budget. The answers they are giving just aren’t satisfactory.”

Cuomo and Murphy said they believe in keeping the full-time remote option for those who don’t want their children to be in a brick and mortar setting.

“Hybrid is not safer,” Cuomo said. “What it is is equal to less days of education. When the kids are home they don’t have live learning. It’s asynchronous learning. Asynchronous learning does not work. We are not teachers at home.”

She added that many parents who are teachers will be returning to work soon, some five days a week in physical classrooms.

“So who’s supposed to be with these children helping them with their schoolwork,” Cuomo said.

Before entering the BOE meeting, board President Matthew Gribbin stopped to hear parents’ concerns. One parent said that he and his wife both work and aren’t able to stay home with their child, which would mean an additional $800 in childcare costs for the family.

When the idea to open up the two vacant buildings came up during the live streaming of the BOE meeting, parents were told to reference the district’s FAQ page where it is stated that if both schools were reopened, and district students were spread out throughout the two schools and currently opened buildings, there will still not be enough room to enforce social distancing of elementary school students.

Murphy said after the meeting that the BOE members have not produced the data to support the claim after parents have asked in emails and board meetings and some parents have even issued Freedom of Information Law requests to get their hands on the information.

“They have no idea if the kids would fit because they don’t even know who isn’t returning, who is keeping their kids home or who is withdrawing their kids to private schools,” she said, adding the survey to cultivate the info was only made available Aug. 12.

Sweetbriar Animals Visit Families at Frank Melville Memorial Park

by Rita J. Egan - August 12, 2020

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The folks from Sweetbriar Nature Center in Smithtown stopped by Frank Melville Memorial Park in Setauket Aug. 11 to give local families the chance to meet some of their animals.

Socially distanced on blankets by the park’s Red Barn children, parents and grandparents had the chance to see birds, a baby squirrel and more up close.

Sweetbriar is home to hundreds of animals that the center employees and volunteers nurse back to health.

Some Three Village Parents Disappointed by District’s Reopening Plan

by Rita J. Egan - August 6, 2020

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WardMelvilleHighSchoolw — Ward Melville High School. Photo by Greg Catalano

The Three Village Central School District is considering additional feedback from parents on how the new school year will look.

In a letter dated Aug. 2, Superintendent Cheryl Pedisich said while recommended plans submitted to the state July 31 called for Three Village schools to open in-person Monday through Friday, after feedback from parents it was decided that a new parent survey would be offered “to gain a benchmark understanding of how many families would be interested in a potential remote learning option for students.” The option would be in addition to the proposed plan and would be subject to the approval of the New York State Education Department and Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D).

The first reopening survey sent to parents and guardians was fielded between July 10 and 17. The district received 2,328 responses, which is a 66 percent response rate. Out of the 2,328 anonymous respondents who represent 3,734 students, 22 percent said they would be extremely comfortable with students returning to schools, 30 percent comfortable, 19 percent neither, 17 percent uncomfortable and 12 percent extremely uncomfortable. The survey also asked parents other questions including how they felt their children handled remote learning the last few months of the 2019-20 academic year, how they were doing emotionally and if parents worked in or out of the home. Out of the families who responded, 49 percent said all caregivers work outside of the home, 34 percent responded at least one person worked from home and at least 17 percent indicated that one will be home and not working.

“As has been said throughout this process, there is no one-sized-fits-all plan to resume instruction this fall and many uncertainties still remain, as the ultimate decision on how, when, and, if schools reopen in September will be rendered by Governor Cuomo this week,” Pedisich wrote in the Aug. 2 letter.

She added in the letter the goal of the proposed reopening plan was to develop one “that is both educationally sound and safe for our families and staff — and that process continues to be a fluid one, as there are many external factors that will contribute to our ability to resume full in-person instruction as planned.”

Pedisich recognized that families face different circumstances as far as their comfort level with students returning to school, especially for those with immunocompromised family members

When the recommended reopening plan, that would require students, teachers and staff to report to school Monday through Friday was unveiled July 31, the district, which has almost 6,000 students, received criticism from a large number of parents.

Those opposed to a five-day, in-person plan created the Facebook page 3V in Support of Remote Learning. At press time, the group had nearly 300 members. Some have suggested asynchronous learning where teachers record lessons for students to watch when they can. Others have pointed toward neighboring school district, Smithtown Central, where a hybrid model is being proposed where 50 percent of students will attend school Monday and Tuesday or Thursday and Friday and alternate Wednesdays. There is also a remote option being offered at Smithtown.

Parents have also expressed concern that while facial coverings will be recommended at Three Village schools they will not be mandatory in the classrooms whenever there is six-foot distancing.

To come up with the proposed plan, the Three Village Board of Education commissioned a Governance School Reopening Task Force and affiliates subcommittees, which included 107 individuals, and in addition to parent/guardian surveys also sent one out to staff members.

Among the changes to be made for the new school year are classroom layouts that allow a minimum of 6 feet distancing; classrooms and other spaces being cleared of any additional items to allow for greater distancing; markers and signage being used for visual distancing cues; and plastic separators for use in cafeterias, speech pathology, occupational therapy and physical therapy.

Steps are also being taken to instruct staff members on how to recognize the signs and symptoms of the virus and what to do to isolate a person if it’s believed they are sick.

“The district will proceed with the understanding that planning for schools to reopen is not a one-time event,” the reopening plan read. “We will continuously monitor the situation and provide updated guidance, policies and regulatory changes as the situation requires.”

The school district’s reopening plan can be viewed at www.threevillagecsd.org.

Lemonade Stand Raises Nearly $30,000 Despite Pandemic

by Rita J. Egan - August 6, 2020

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The organizers and volunteers of one annual summer treat in the Three Village school district were determined to make sure its eighth annual event would still go on as planned Aug. 3, despite the coronavirus.

For seven years the Three Village Kids Lemonade Stand has raised funds for Stony Brook Children’s Hospital’s Child Life Program and this year was no different. Despite state guidelines mandating that events be kept to a reduced capacity, the event’s founders, Maddie and Joseph Mastriano, knew they could figure out how to still hold the fundraiser on the grounds of R.C. Murphy Junior High School.

While they knew it wouldn’t be the same, the Mastrianos planned two options for residents to contribute. Earlier in the day Aug. 3, they set up a drive-through lemonade stand at the junior school with a reduced number of volunteers wearing masks and gloves. Attendees were required to stay in their cars, and tents were staggered throughout the school’s bus circle. The drive-through event included prepackaged lemonade to go, do-it-yourself lemonade kits, raffles, sandwiches for sale by Chick-fil-A and a merchandise tent.

In the evening, the young people hosted a virtual fundraiser on the streaming platform Twitch. During the virtual event, they announced raffle winners as well as the District Lemonheads, Minnesauke Elementary, which is the Three Village school that raised the most money for the cause.

Maddie Mastriano said they had to come up with creative ideas this year and support from their sponsors was a big help as well as the students who competed in the District Lemonheads competition. The students grand total was $8,982.69. Minnesauke student raised $3,258 of the total.

There was also a chance to play along on a Minecraft server built by Joseph Mastriano and his friends. The Minecraft world included a virtual lemonade stand that featured the junior high school and game for participants to play.

Last year the Three Village Kids Lemonade Stand exceeded their goal of $40,000. This yea, so far, the fundraiser brought in nearly $30,000, and donations are still being accepted at www.threevillagekidslemonadestand.com.

Mastriano said they are thankful to everyone.

“We know that the pandemic has changed many things in our lives, but we are so glad that the lemonade stand was able to continue on this year with our annual tradition,” she said.

Former COVID-19 Patient Visits Hospital to Give Thanks

by Rita J. Egan - August 5, 2020

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Vicki Burns stopped by St. Catherine's Medical Center to thank the health care workers who cared for her during her battle with the coronavirus earlier this year. Photo by Rita J. Egan

Among the grateful North Shore patients who have beaten the odds by surviving a severe case of the coronavirus is Ronkonkoma resident Vicki Burns.

A health care worker, right, shares memories with Vicki Burns, with walker, July 31. Photo by Rita J. Egan

The 61-year-old stopped by St. Catherine of Siena Medical Center in Smithtown July 31 to say thank you to the health care workers who cared for her as she battled COVID-19 this past spring. Two dozen of those workers were on hand to greet her outside of the hospital’s entrance, and each of them, one by one, presented her with a flower that they placed in a vase to form a bouquet.

“You don’t have a bouquet with one flower, right?” said nurse manager Lisa Koshansky to Burns after the presentation. “This is your team. So, each person was part of your bouquet that made up that whole team that took care of you.”

Koshansky added that Burns affected everyone in the hospital during her two-month stay and, when she left, they all excitedly lined the halls as the Beatles’ “Here Comes the Sun” played.

Burns said she remembered the day, too.

“It was another step for me to get closer to home,” she said.

The original visit to the hospital was followed by a few weeks in a rehabilitation center and countless doctor visits. During her stay at St. Catherine’s, Burns was in the COVID unit, the intensive care unit, critical care unit and then moved to a room in the hospital’s 3 North section.

Many of the staff members shared stories with her about her time at the hospital including how her husband, Ed Burns, called every day to check in. Workers would talk to him via FaceTime and show him his wife, even when she was in the prone position to increase oxygen levels; he was happy if all he saw was her head.

“He never left her side,” physician assistant Dana Lamparter said. “He would park in the parking lot and call us.”

When asked what she remembered about her stay, Burns said the crazy dreams she would have. Lamparter told her that once she did wake up, she was chatty and making up for the time she missed talking.

It was the first time Burns was able to connect names to faces since she was unconscious most of her hospital stay.

“It’s so hard to remember the name to each person, but it’s nice to see everybody that helped me,” Burns said.

Local Residents Show Their Support for BLM Movement

by Rita J. Egan - August 3, 2020

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Setauket-Protest_080120_odeya-rosenband2 — A dozen people stood on the corner of Main Street and Route 25A Aug. 1 in support of the Black Lives Matter movement. Photo by Odeya Rosenband

By Odeya Rosenband and Rita J. Egan

Community members gathered on the corner of Main Street and Route 25A in East Setauket Aug. 1. They were there to show their support for the Black Lives Matter movement.

A protester at the Aug. 1 rally. Photo by Odeya Rosenband

Standing in front of the Pen & Pencil Building, about a dozen ralliers held signs reading, “Racial equality now,” “Equality & justice for All, Black Lives Matter,” “Stop the hate” and “A change is gonna come.”

One of the organizers, Kathy Schiavone of Port Jefferson, said they picked the corner because it’s a well-trafficked intersection with a red light, which would give drivers an opportunity to read their signs. The participants received displays of support from some drivers honking or giving the thumbs up, while others in vehicles passing by yelled out, “Communists,” “Trump 2020,” “All lives matter,” “Blue lives matter” and “Get over it.”

“We are only on this planet for a short period of time, and it really behooves us to be kind to one another,” Schiavone said. “And as Rodney King [a 1992 police victim] said, ‘Can we all just get along?’”

She said she was touched by the work of former Georgia U.S. Rep. John Lewis (D), a civil rights activist who would frequently say get into “good trouble.” The congressman died July 17.

“It brings tears to my eyes when I listen to the tributes for him and all he went through his entire life for the good of the community, and I just want to support the Black Lives Movement and everyone who feels that they need support at this time,” she said.

Protester Sue Hoff, also of Port Jefferson, said she participated to make it known that she believes in the movement. She said of the upcoming 2020 election, “I’m voting Black Lives Matter.” She has protested since the late 1950s for civil rights, for peace during the Vietnam War and for the reduction of nuclear weapons.

“I have grandchildren,” she said. “I’m not going to give up.”

Another protester, Kevin Mulligan of Setauket, said it was a responsibility to speak out.

“It’s an obligation in these times of political divisiveness to choose a side and not stay complacent and set a model for the children that change only comes through action,” he said.

Attendee Jeff Goldschmidt said as a longtime resident in the Stony Brook area the last few years have been revealing to him.

“I never knew Suffolk County was so undemocratic,” he said. “It’s so red and so bigoted. I was very surprised.”

Organizer Christina Maffia, of Setauket, said it was important to her to rally at the corner because she feels the nation’s rhetoric has turned negative, especially after what happened with the death of George Floyd at the hands of a Minneapolis police officer in May.

“Just because people feel Black lives matter does not mean white lives don’t matter or blue lives don’t matter,” she said. Because if Black lives matter, we wouldn’t have to worry about anybody else’s life mattering, because all lives would matter.”

Kinney Balances New Rotary Role with Career and Volunteerism

Movers and Shakers

by Rita J. Egan - August 1, 2020

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Hope-Kinney-rotary-induction — Hope Kinney, second from right, during her induction into the Rotary of Stony Brook in 2017. Photo from Rotary

Despite the pandemic, it’s been a busy year for one East Setauket resident.

Hope Kinney took over the reins as president of the Rotary Club of Stony Brook July 1. Many in the area know her as branch manager at Investors Bank, formerly Gold Coast Bank, at its Setauket location on Route 25A.

Hope Kinney collecting donations for The Salvation Army last year. Photo from Hope Kinney

Kinney said she was nominated president at the Rotary’s holiday party, and so far 2020 has been an interesting one for the club. Members have been going about business differently due to the ongoing pandemic with Zoom meetings, and most recently, holding a socially distanced lunch. Rotary members have been working on ways to keep up with their fundraising efforts after having to cancel events such as their annual spring pancake breakfast at the Setauket Fire Department’s main station.

The new Rotary president said next month the group will host a virtual online fundraiser for the Port Jefferson-based nonprofit Give Kids Hope, which provides food and clothing for local residents in need. The Rotary is also working on an idea for an online fundraiser in November and is looking for another nonprofit to help.

“It’s challenging to try to raise money in a way that we would normally do,” Kinney said, adding that members have been trying to be creative.

She said they are also working on possible socially distanced activities for the near future such as a lunch with Tri-Spy Tours of Setauket and a clambake in September.

The Rotary president said the members are working with Suffolk County Legislator Kara Hahn (D-Setauket) to come up with more ideas to get involved in the community and with the Stony Brook University Rotaract Club. Earlier this year, Hahn nominated Kinney for Suffolk County Woman of Distinction in the 5th Legislative District.

In the nomination letter, Hahn listed Kinney’s contributions to the community. In addition to the Rotary Club, the legislator cited the East Setauket resident’s involvement in the Three Village Chamber of Commerce, the Walk for Beauty committee, the Three Village Industry Advisory Board, the Three Village Kiwanis Club and the Long Island Museum.

“Ms. Kinney has dedicated her time, efforts and influence toward encouraging local businesses to thrive while also volunteering on many local boards serving as both a member and leader and lending her voice and expertise to making community events happen,” Hahn wrote.

In the letter, the legislator listed Kinney’s accomplishments such as her working on the career fair at Ward Melville High School with the 3V industry advisory board, and helping on the Three Village Electric Holiday Parade with the Kiwanis Club, among others.

“She is an inspiration to us all, dedicating so much of her time and energy into making our hometown a better place,” Hahn wrote. “With only 24 hours a day, Ms. Kinney has donated hundreds of hours to community service and continues to give to her community each day in any way she can.”

“She is an inspiration to us all dedicating so much of her time and energy into making our hometown a better place.”

— Kara Hahn

In 2020, Kinney also became a member of the Three Village Community Trust board, and in addition to her volunteer work, she has been busier than ever at the bank. Gold Coast merged with Investors, and the staff has been helping local business owners acquire the recent Paycheck Protection Program loans.

She said dealing with the PPP loans was a huge undertaking, but everyone who applied at the bank got the loan.

“It was a relief to help the community, that was my goal,” she said. “I felt an obligation. I need to make sure everyone gets this loan which is going to be forgiven for most people. It was challenging. It was long days and weekends, but for everybody we accomplished what we set out to do.”

She said Investors Bank recently held an online concert fundraiser where Investors donated $25 for every employee who viewed it and $10 for every family member. Kinney said one of the benefactors of the fundraiser was St. James R.C. Church, raising $3,000 for a stove for their soup kitchen. The bank recently also donated $100,000 to Stony Brook University Hospital and hopes to be able to make a check presentation soon. Kinney said she feels lucky to be part of a business that helps her local community.

Kinney started her banking career at Capital One in 2004. When the bank had layoffs in 2018, she was recruited by John Tsunis, Gold Coast’s founder, as branch manager. Tsunis described her as an extrovert with a good personality.

“She’s very interested in working with the community,” Tsunis said. “That’s a big positive as far as I’m concerned.”

Kinney juggles her career and volunteerism with spending time with her family, which includes her husband, Joseph, and three children Justin, Michael and Rachel. To handle all her responsibilities, she said she tries to stay organized and not get overwhelmed.

“I take it day by day,” Kinney said. “I put it on the calendar, and I’m able to look at the calendar and then I go day by day … I guess that’s the secret — work with each day.”

Three Village Kids Lemonade Stand Adapts to the Times

by Rita J. Egan - July 31, 2020

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virtual-murphy-school — Three Village Kids Lemonade Stand organizer Joseph Mastriano, bottom left, created a virtual R. C. Murphy Junior High School for a live streaming event Aug. 3. Image from Three Village Kids Lemonade Stand

With state guidelines mandating that events be kept to a reduced capacity or postponed due to the pandemic, the organizers of the Three Village Kids Lemonade Stand, Maddie and Joseph Mastriano, knew they would have to go about things differently this year.

For the eighth year in a row, the lemonade stand will raise money for the Stony Brook Children’s Hospital Child Life Program. However, this year there will be two events in one day.

Maddie Mastriano said she and her brother were hoping not to break their streak in having their annual lemonade stand.

“While it won’t be the same, we know this year more than ever finding a way to give back to our community is important,” Mastriano said. “COVID may have changed many things that we were used to doing, but we felt it very important to keep this summer tradition going. We made sure to take extra precautions in planning this time too, which is why we have two events planned on the same day. We really wanted to offer everyone an option to participate in a way they felt most comfortable doing so.”

A drive-through lemonade stand will take place at R.C. Murphy Junior High School Aug. 3 from 3 to 6 p.m. Mastriano said there will be a reduced number of volunteers this year and all of them will be wearing masks and gloves. Attendees will be required to stay in their cars, and tents will be staggered through the school’s bus circle.

The drive-through event will include prepackaged lemonade to go, do-it-yourself lemonade kits, raffles, sandwiches for sale by Chick-fil-A and a merchandise tent.

From 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. the same day, the young people will host a live virtual fundraiser on the streaming platform Twitch. During the virtual event, the raffle winners will be announced, and there will be an opportunity to donate directly to the GoFundMe page. District Lemonheads, which is the Three Village school that raises the most money for the cause, will also be announced.

Mastriano said they hope to have picture in picture during the stream, as they plan to be live on camera, air slideshows of past events and sponsor logos, as well as allow people to play along on a Minecraft server built by Joseph Mastriano and his friends. The Minecraft world will include a virtual lemonade stand that features the junior high school and game for participants to play.

Last year more than 500 attended the event at Murphy to buy 50-cent cups of lemonade, other treats and merchandise. Attendees played games, School of Rock students performed, and Stony Brook University athletes stopped by to visit. Sales from the 2019 lemonade stand exceeded the goal of $40,000 by the end of the day.

This year’s goal is $50,000 and nearly $6,000 has already been raised through the GoFundMe page.

The Three Village Kids Lemonade Stand username on Twitch is @3villagekidslemonadestand. R.C. Murphy Junior High School is located at 351 Oxhead Road, Stony Brook.

For more information, visit www.threevillagekidslemonadestand.com.

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