Three Village Central School District Superintendent Kevin Scanlon released a letter on March 21 informing families of incidents of antisemitism in the schools and assured them that the district is going to tackle the issue.
“There have recently been incidents of antisemitism in our schools,” the letter reads. “We believe that there is a larger issue occurring that we need to address.”
The letter suggests that a conglomeration of incidents is leading the district to initiate programs and curriculum changes: “Although some individuals may perceive these incidents as isolated, we cannot afford to take them lightly.”
Rabbi Aaron Benson of the North Shore Jewish Center said he has been in touch with some families whose children have been affected by antisemitism with Three Village middle schools. Benson said his understanding is that no major altercation occurred, but that on one or multiple occasions, students made an antisemitic remark that was heard by several other students, including Jewish students.
“As I understand it, the comments weren’t particularly directed at anybody but there were Jewish students present,” he said. “But also comments of that sort should not be tolerated regardless if a Jewish person is present.”
Rabbi Joshua Gray from Temple Isaiah emailed Scanlon after receiving the letter. Scanlon invited him to the school for a conversation, following through on the district’s commitment to “work together as a community” as written in the letter.
The conversation went “very well” according to Gray, and he left the meeting feeling assured that the district is addressing the issue with consideration and care.
“They are being very proactive,” he said. “It is good when people call it by its name and say it as it is.” Benson, too, was glad that the district acknowledged the issue and is taking an active role in combating hate speech.
“These are all the things I want them to be doing and I am thankful that they are,” he said. Benson, who has been an ordained rabbi for over 20 years, said he likes “to believe that there is just simple ignorance combined with perhaps a desire to be shocking or irreverent” but that there is “a stronger presence of antisemitic commentary that is out there and trickles down to kids.”
Both rabbis live in the district and have children. They said that they have noticed an uptick in antisemitism since Hamas attacked Israel Oct. 7, 2023.
Stefanie Werner, whose child attends a Three Village school, said that her child had experienced antisemitism over five years ago. Glad that the village acknowledged the issue, but upset that antisemitism is still present enough to warrant a letter, Werner called the letter “a double-edged sword.”
“I hate that it has gotten to this point,” she continued. “We’ve gotten this letter and we don’t exactly know what has happened.”
Werner said she would like to see more discussion integrated into the curriculum, a step Scanlon plans to take, according to the letter. Werner said that it is clear that preexisting programs, like assemblies, talks or electives, aren’t enough.
“We have to teach them that it is not okay,” she said. “They don’t see the line.”
We dive into the latest updates from Suffolk County Police Commissioner Kevin Catalina as he shares new initiatives to enhance public safety. From tackling traffic accidents to addressing the opioid crisis, Catalina outlines his vision for a safer Suffolk.
Next, we discuss this month’s Three Village Civic Association meeting, where Town of Brookhaven Receiver of Taxes Louis Marcoccia addressed concerns about this year’s tax bills.
Finally, we turn our focus to the ongoing challenges facing the Port Jefferson School District after the Child Victims Act led to a significant financial burden. We’ll hear from Superintendent Jessica Schmettan as she explains the impact of the $16.5 million settlement and the district’s efforts to secure legislative relief.
Listen to this episode of the Pressroom Afterhour on Spotify.
Middle Country Central School District Board of Education convened a regular meeting Jan. 22 at Centereach High School. At the meeting, they covered a variety of matters, including provisions for special education.
The board approved committee recommendations from a series of past meetings with regard to special education. Specifically, they provided the programs and services recommended by meetings of the Committee on Pre-School Special Education, Sub-Committee on Special Education and the district administration office’s annual review.
They also replaced some of the district’s impartial hearing officers. The IHOs oversee due-process hearings requested by parents or school districts regarding disputes over individualized education programs for special-education students, class placement decisions, services and accommodations for such students and disciplinary action for students with disabilities.
In New York, IHOs are independent and neutral individuals certified by the New York State Education Department who are assigned cases on a rotational basis. At this meeting, the board approved the addition of four new IHOs and removed four existing IHOs.
Lastly, on the point of special education, the board approved a contract with the therapy agency Little Angels Center to continue to work alongside students’ individualized education plans throughout the remainder of the school year.
Assistant Superintendent for Business Beth Rella presented a report on property-tax exemptions that reduce a property’s assessed value before taxes have been calculated. She covered the exemptions that the district is both enrolled in and has opted into, including some basic points as to how they’re set.
After the opening executive session, the board recognized the elementary students of the month: Thomas Castelli, Kayla Kowalczyk, David O’Leary and Aubrie Riccio. They then presented a certificate of appreciation to the owners of Salvino’s Pizzeria in Selden for providing free Thanksgiving Day meals to hundreds of families.
The board also gave Athlete of the Month awards to Madelyn Madrigal (basketball), Andrew DiMondo (wrestling), Sheyla Lynton (basketball), Ryan Hicks (basketball), Anthony Cardiello IV (fencing) and Ava Kahler (track and field).
Lastly, the board approved past treasurer’s reports, minutes from their last meeting, a listing of extracurricular classroom activity and the calendar for the 2025-2026 school year and opened the floor for 40 minutes of public comment.
The board will meet next Feb. 5, 7 p.m., at Centereach High School.
For more information visit the school website: www.mccsd.net.
New York Regents Exam scores can no longer lower student course grades in Three Village Central School District, after the school board unexpectedly resurrected a policy that directs teachers to only include the scores if they help a student’s GPA.
“I believe we have reached a point in time where it makes sense to let these grades help our kids and let that be their incentive to do well,” said board President Susan Rosenzweig, in bringing the issue back to the table at an Oct. 9 board meeting. “But if it doesn’t, their academic work through the course of the year should stand toward their final grade.”
Just before Regents exams began last June, a new wave of parent advocacy led the board to reconsider the so-called “Do No Harm” policy, but at that time trustees reaffirmed their November vote to include the scores at 10% — down from about 12% before the pandemic.
After the last Regents season, though, students did report lower grades due to exam scores. Superintendent of Schools Kevin Scanlon called out the physics Regents as one that particularly impacted student course grades.
“Teachers and administrators always want to see the students do their best on whatever we give them, and want to give them the best opportunity,” Scanlon said, adding that some comparable districts do not include the scores in final grades since the state does not require it. “It’s not a perfect system.”
This decision comes as the state’s Education Department is considering a new vision for graduation requirements, which would provide alternate means of demonstrating proficiency, rather than requiring the exams for everyone.
But district administrators made clear the exams themselves are not a waste of effort.
“The Regents Exams are extremely important to us as far as the data we get,” said Brian Biscari, assistant superintendent for educational services. “They are one of the only tools of standardization that we have that we can look at our instructional program and see how our kids are doing.”
Celebrating cellphone policy success
The district’s effort to reduce the use of cellphones at school is showing positive results, according to Scanlon. He indicated the culture within the junior high schools, in particular, is improving.
“Seeing students without their faces buried in phones and literally having conversations at cafeteria tables is a real heart boost for everyone,” he said. “We’ve sort of turned a corner on this.”
High school students have welcomed the policy, as well, according to senior Hazel Cohas, Ward Melville High School’s student representative to the board.
“In the past, there have been policies that have faced a lot of backlash,” she shared, pointing specifically to a vandalism-prevention policy instituted last year requiring students to carry their IDs and swipe them to use restrooms. But on limiting cellphone use, she hasn’t heard complaints: “I haven’t heard anything, and I think it’s going well.”
Bullying complaints have seen a “very large decline” from this time last year, Scanlon reported, and particularly those associated with social media.
Scanlon urged vigilance, though, because it is still early in the school year and since “students are very smart,” some may look for ways around the policy.
Junior high to middle school preview
Three Village junior high schools will get new names in fall 2025, officially transitioning to Paul J. Gelinas Middle School and Robert Cushman Murphy Middle School, both comprising sixth through eighth grades.
More will shift than just the name and grade makeup, according to Biscari, who called the focus on transition supports a “comprehensive philosophical change in our middle school model.”
The most significant change is the addition of a standalone nine-minute advisory period to allow a specific time for the Pledge of Allegiance and announcements, as well as for activities to build social skills, social emotional learning and relationships. The schedule can also shift to allow for an extended advisory period on days where the student body participates in special activities, like on Unity Day.
According to the presentation by junior high principals, Corinne Keane (PJG) and Michael Jantzen (RCM), advisory groups will be heterogeneous, allowing students who would normally be in different level classes to be together.
“They start to forge connections with people — with kids, with staff members — that are hopefully making them feel a little bit more connected to their school and their environment,” explained Keane, who said area middle schools she’s spoken to have implemented the advisory period concept. “It’s a cornerstone of middle school culture.”
Sixth grade will operate under “teaching teams,” where a cohort of students will all be assigned the same set of teachers in core academic subjects. This way, teachers can better collaborate to help students succeed, and parents can meet with all of their child’s core teachers at once.
Students will also be able to spread requirements for technology, art, and family and consumer science over three years instead of two, allowing space for an additional elective each year.
The schools are already collaborating with elementary schools to aid in the transition of two grade levels up to next year’s middle schools, and they are looking ahead to additional ways to bridge the gap between middle school and high school. One part of that plan is to allow for some dances, celebrations and a theme-park field trip to be joint affairs with both eighth graders from the middle schools and ninth graders from the high school.
“We want to make sure that the transitions are as smooth as they can be,” said Jantzen, adding that junior high administrators will continue talking with staff from the other schools to continue to fine-tune transition supports. “We are taking into account all concerns.”
Changing to middle schools, though, means saying goodbye to a seventh-through-ninth-grade junior high model that has been around Three Village for nearly 60 years. The principals want to use this year’s junior high yearbooks to recognize that.
“We’re both looking to use the yearbook as a tool to commemorate,” Keane said. “In 50 years when someone picks up the yearbook, they get the sense that this was the year — this was the last year as a junior high school.”
The Ward Melville boys varsity cross-country team. Courtesy David Seyfert
By Ryan DeLuca
The Ward Melville varsity boys’ cross country (XC) team has had an exceptionally productive start to the 2024 season — a testament to the hard work the athletes put in over the summer. In just the first three weeks of competition, the team has demonstrated their potential as one of the top contenders in the state.
On September 14, the team’s top eight runners traveled to upstate Queensbury to compete in the prestigious Pre-State meet, a 5k (3.1 miles) race. This early-season event attracts the best teams in New York — all vying for a spot at the NYS Championship in November. In a field of 24 teams and 195 athletes, Ward Melville’s runners claimed first place overall in their race.
Senior Jon Seyfert led the charge, finishing 1st overall with an impressive time of 15:50. Junior Anthony Anatol — in his first-ever 5K race — followed as the second Ward Melville athlete, placing 8th overall in 16:19. Sophomore Andy Senf and Junior Luke Jantzen, both competing in just their second and first 5k races respectively, crossed the finish line nearly in unison with times of 16:44.3 and 16:44.4 — placing 23rd and 24th. Sophomore Matteo Ritieni rounded out the top five for Ward Melville, finishing 35th with a time of 16:52 securing a team score of 87 points. This performance beat out second-place finisher Corning — a two-time state champion in the last four years — by an impressive 38 points.
Also competing for Ward Melville were Junior Tim Brown and Sophomores Matt Fumai and Leo Puckett. Brown finished 53rd with a time of 17:23, Fumai placed 62nd at 17:31 and Puckett — in his first 5k — clocked in at 18:10 for 89th place.
When all varsity race results were merged to compare every team that competed that day, Ward Melville once again came out on top — finishing 1st out of 117 teams and defeating the reigning state champions Saratoga Springs by 11 points.
The Ward Melville boys’ XC team is young but highly motivated — fully embracing the program laid out by Coaches DeLuca and Liebowitz. Their dedication to teamwork and relentless work ethic has created a positive competitive environment that is paying dividends. According to the coaches, this season is shaping up to be one of the best in the history of Ward Melville cross country.
In recognition of their stellar performance, the Ward Melville boys’ cross country team is now ranked #1 among all Class A (large schools) teams and #2 overall in New York State.
In the last 18 months, Stony Brook University has generated positive headlines for a host of wins, from receiving a record donation from the Simons Foundation to climbing academic rankings to winning the bidding for a climate solutions center on Governors Island.
This year, those gains not only helped attract a larger applicant pool, but also led to a record high enrollment for first-year students in the university’s 67 year history. The total number of undergraduates is also at a record high of 18,263, exceeding the previous high of 18,010 in the fall of 2010.
The downstate flagship university received about 55,000 applications for first year students, with an acceptance rate of about 49%.
“Stony Brook has now become a premier destination for so many students” in the state, country and world, said Richard Beatty, Senior Associate Provost for Enrollment Management. The increasing applicants and the largest ever class size of 4,024 students reflects the “fruit of all the work the campus has been doing.”
Stony Brook ranked 58th in the 2025 US News and World Report rankings this week, up from 93 in 2022. Stony Brook was also ranked the top public university in New York.
Just over half of the first-year students, or 50.5%, are women, while 49.5% are men. These statistics don’t include people who chose not to disclose their gender.
The university didn’t change its admissions standards to accept this larger class.
“We had the same academic quality as in previous years,” said Beatty, as each student has had high quality experience inside and outside the classroom.
Additionally, for the class entering its second year this fall, Stony Brook had a 90% retention rate, which is also an all-time high. The university typically loses 11 or 12% of students from the first to the second year.
“We want the student [who matriculate at Stony Brook] to graduate with us and we want them to graduate in a timely manner,” said Beatty.
New hires
Recognizing the increased interest in attending Stony Brook from in and out of state, the university started hiring additional staff to provide students with the same level of education and university services.
The ratio of faculty to students “didn’t change that much” because of the university’s staffing efforts, Beatty said. “We are keeping the educational quality the same even though we have a larger [freshman] class.”
The enrollment of students who identify as Black and LatinX also increased, even as universities such as Harvard College and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have experienced a decline in such enrollments.
The first-year class at Stony Brook includes 433 people who identify as black, which is an increase of 19% over the total from the previous year and represents about 10.7% of the incoming class.
LatinX, meanwhile, rose 28% to 633 this year from 496 in the previous year.
SBU Interim President Richard McCormick. File photo
“Stony Brook today exemplifies dramatically all the most important developments in modern American higher education – a growing and highly diverse student body, an expanding research enterprise, and research achievements that are contributing mightily to the economy and society,” Interim President Richard L. McCormick said in a statement.
While the number of foreign students increased over last year, the total number has still not recovered to its 2019 level, prior to the pandemic.
Stony Brook leads the SUNY system in the highest number of Educational Opportunity Program applications. The state-funded program provides financial support to New York students who have financial and academic barriers, helping them attend and graduate from a SUNY college.
Storm challenges
At the same time that the university welcomed its largest ever first year class, the campus and the area endured a sudden and violent storm that not only damaged the historic Stony Brook Grist Mill, but also made some dormitories uninhabitable.
“It was an unbelievable concerted effort throughout campus” to find places for students amid the clean up, said Beatty. “The housing team came up with solutions” that included housing some students in hotels.
Two of the residence halls, Ammann and Gray, are still undergoing repairs, although the university has found places for its students.
The university has 52 sophomores who are living at an off-campus hotel, where they are expected to remain through the semester. They should be able to return to campus in the spring.
Expanded food services
The Starbucks in SBU’s Melville Library. Courtesy facebook.com/SBUDining
Amid higher enrollment, Stony Brook expanded the hours for dining facilities this year, compared with last year.
Starbucks opened at the Melville Library with expanded hours. The foods trucks have a consistent schedule Monday through Friday and Stony Brook added a Nathan’s Famous truck to the food truck fleet.
The university launched new franchises and dining concepts this fall, such as Popeyes, Carvel and Iron Waffles.
Academically, Stony Brook has had a wide range of potential interests from its incoming students. Beyond the typical strengths in physics and math, the university also experienced a growth in the numbers of students applying for journalism, political science and economics.
“We ended up not being over enrolled in any of our programs,” Beatty said.
McCormick suggested the increased interest in the school reflects recent higher visibility.
“This historic enrollment of first-year students is a testament to Stony Brook University’s steadfast commitment to providing an exceptional educational experience and its rise in reputation as one of the nation’s most prominent public flagship research universities,” McCormick said in a statement.
The State University of New York schools have seen an increase overall in the number of applicants.
Stony Brook’s admissions process, which remains test optional for standardized tests like the SAT and the ACT, has become considerably more holistic.
The admissions committee looks beyond the grade point average or whatever test scores candidates submit, while weighing the student achievement in the context of the options available at their high schools.
The larger class size amid a greater interest in the school also has positive implications for the local economy and for the community.
More students shop at stores and restaurants and also contribute to extracurricular activities such as theatrical performances and to community service projects.
These students, who come from all over the world, add to the diversity of the area, start new clubs and present the findings of their own research while attending college, Beatty added.
As for future applications and class sizes, school officials anticipate greater numbers of interested students in the coming years.
“We expect applications to continue to rise,” said Beatty.
Eric Strovink and his friend Eric Reichenbach are supporting the Suffolk County Police Athletic League Blue Line Rangers baseball teams.
Both well-known coaches and players, they are determined to teach high-level baseball at an affordable price. As costs for travel teams have risen, the league’s affordable approach stands out. For $1,000, these youngsters will receive the same quality of training as other similar programs that can set families back thousands a year. The league’s founders believe kids shouldn’t be penalized for family financial constraints.
Brett Engmann, a police officer who helps run the Police Athletic League for various sports and community programs, said, “It’s a shame that many capable players don’t get noticed because they can’t afford travel teams.”
“Kids who aren’t at tournaments aren’t being seen and have a lesser chance of playing in college. Regardless of family funds, this team offers an affordable way to play our pastime and gives kids an opportunity to play under tremendous coaching,” he continued.
The students are eager to compete against strong opponents, under the tutelage of coaches who are not only passionate about baseball, but also highly qualified.
Strovink batted .516 at Shoreham-Wading River High School, hit three home runs in a single game, and helped his team win the New York State Championship in 1987. He spent three years at Louisiana State University, where he befriended major leaguers Ben McDonald and Russ Springer. Strovink returned home to care for his ailing mother and played for CW Post, where he hit 17 home runs and drove in 52 runs, helping his team win a conference title.
In 1991, Strovink played a minor league season for the Texas Rangers. Over the next two decades, he coached travel and high school teams and directed clinics and lessons.
His two sons continue the Strovink baseball tradition. Brennan, an All-State standout, played and coached at Limestone University.
Kyle, an All-American catcher, later played at Limestone with his brother. Both sons now coach high school baseball teams. Kyle also coached at Princeton and Long Island University.
Reichenbach was one of the area’s finest pitchers and a runner-up for the Suffolk County Carl Yastrzemski Award. He was drafted by the Blue Jays in 1988, pitched at the University of Tennessee, and later transferred to St. John’s, where he became an All-American. Reichenbach played three years in the minor leagues for the New York Mets before becoming a teacher in 1996.
For years, Reichenbach led successful baseball teams at Mount Sinai High School, winning league titles, and the 2016 County Championship, among other accomplishments.
The pandemic was a setback for Mount Sinai, as the team had six Division I pitchers who missed the chance to chase a state title.
Reichenbach, who also guides travel teams and gives lessons, believes in the PAL baseball team’s mission to give back to local athletes and help them become better ballplayers.
These experienced local and college coaches will share their expertise with the mostly 15- to 16-year-old boys who will make up these teams. The Blue Line Rangers will play games on Long Island, at Diamond Nation in Flemington, New Jersey, and on Staten Island.
All baseball statistics and game accounts will be posted on the bluelinerangers.org website, where they can be seen by college scouts.
Both coaches say they are excited about this new travel team, which will have 15 players for the summer and fall seasons. All players are expected to complete 25 hours of community service. Strovink and Reichenbach aim to develop not just skilled ballplayers, but also responsible young men who contribute to their community.
On Oct. 12, the team will host a baseball showcase. Non-PAL players can participate for $99, while Blue Line Rangers members can attend for free. These young athletes will have the chance to play for scouts, from schools like Stony Brook, LIU and St. Joseph’s University.
Muccio siblings at their lemonade stand raising funds for school supplies. Courtesy MCCSD
The three Muccio siblings — Isabella, an 11th grader; Michael, a 7th grader; Giavanna, a 5th grader; and Madelyn, a 2nd grader — have exceeded their fundraising goals through a dedicated lemonade stand effort.
These enterprising young individuals worked diligently during their summer vacations to support children in need within the Middle Country Central School District community. Operating their lemonade stand for 18 hours over the course of three days, they amassed a total of $1,317. All proceeds will be used to purchase essential school supplies and backpacks for students in need.
Muccio siblings at Walmart to purchase school supplies. Courtesy MCCSD
On the evening of Aug. 4, the Muccio siblings visited Walmart and Target to purchase supplies and backpacks, and they will continue their shopping in the coming days.
The Muccio family’s initiative received tremendous support from the community, including friends, neighbors, teachers and staff. The Muccio family believes that the collective generosity and enthusiasm played a pivotal role in the success of this fundraiser.
“We are incredibly proud of Isabella, Michael, Giavanna, and Madelyn for their hard work and dedication,” said Roberta Gerold, superintendent of schools. “Their selflessness and commitment to helping others is truly inspiring. We are deeply grateful to everyone who supported their cause and helped make this fundraiser successful.”
Muccio siblings at Target picking up backpacks. Courtesy MCCSD
For more information regarding the Middle Country Central School District and its students’ achievements, please visit the district’s website at www.mccsd.net.
Keria Hammer shoots for the Wildcats in a summer league match up against Bay Shore. Photo by Bill Landon
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Tessa Cooke powers past a defender for the Wildcats in a summer league match up against Bay Shore. Photo by Bill Landon
Madeline Kavanaugh settles the ball for the Wildcats in a summer league match up against Bay Shore. Photo by Bill Landon
Shealyn Varbero pushes up-field for the Wildcats in a summer league match up against Bay Shore. Photo by Bill Landon
Ava Gengler clears the ball for the Wildcats in a summer league match up against Bay Shore. Photo by Bill Landon
Olivia Pesso maneuvers mid-field for the Wildcats in a summer league match up against Bay Shore. Photo by Bill Landon
Keria Hammer shoots for the Wildcats in a summer league match up against Bay Shore. Photo by Bill Landon
Shealyn Varbero heads the ball for the Wildcats in a summer league match up against Bay Shore. Photo by Bill Landon
Olivia Pesso settles the ball for the Wildcats in a summer league match up against Bay Shore. Photo by Bill Landon
Shealyn Varbero pushes up-field for the Wildcats in a summer league match up against Bay Shore. Photo by Bill Landon
By Bill Landon
Shoreham-Wading River girls varsity soccer team looked to build on the success of their 2023 campaign when the Wildcats won another Suffolk County Class A title and Long Island championship. The team advanced to the state championships last November at Cortland High School before losing the Class A final to Rye.
The Wildcats faced off against Bay Shore in Islip High School summer league action Thursday, Aug. 8. It was Ava Gengler’s foot that stretched the net to take the early lead. On a corner kick, Olivia Pesso floated the ball up high in front of the net where Abigail Cooke headed the ball in for the insurance goal. Shoreham-Wading River inked the 2-0 victory in the fourth game of the tournament with two games remaining.
The Wildcats launch their 2024 season with a home opener Sept. 11 when they will host Mount Sinai. Game time is slated for 4:30 p.m.
Comsewogue School District, along with at least six other Long Island districts, will see a new mascot ahead of the 2025-26 school year. Included is Half Hollow Hills East High School, previously the Thunderbirds, now known as the Red Hawks.
Following a New York State policy set back in April of 2023, New York became the 21st state to restrict Native-themed imagery in public schools, banning Native American-themed names, mascots and logos for all school districts in the state. Five L.I. districts have active lawsuits against the state in respect of the mascot ban.
Comsewogue, hitherto the Warriors, will don the “Spartan” as their official school mascot starting July 1, 2025. The decision for the Spartan came from a series of conversations within the district.
“The district formed a student committee,” said Matteo DeVincenzo, school district athletic director. “They came up with some names that each particular building liked, we then took all of those lists and put it together for parents, the community, staff members and everyone related to the community had an opportunity to vote on what they liked best — it was a very democratic way of deciding.”
Back in January the district began gathering “insight into what terms best represent Comsewogue” as per the school district’s website. In February, the district used the insights to gather additional information through a survey.
Then in April, the Comsewogue Leadership Team, composed of students from grades 3-12, narrowed the search down to five possible mascot/logo ideas: the Chargers, Cobras, Commanders, Spartans and Wolves. A vote was held in June to determine the winner.
“We narrowed it down to a top five list and from there, each day we’d would remove one. That was ultimately how the Spartans were selected,” DeVincenzo said.
Historical background
Before Europeans had ever stepped foot on Long Island, from present day St. James to Wading River and as far south as Gordon Heights, the Setalcott Nation once inhabited the lands. Within that territory lies Port Jefferson Station/Terryville, an area known to the Setalcotts as Comsewogue, meaning “place where paths come together.”
The Terryville-Comsewogue School District was formed in 1874, and the senior high school opened nearly a century later in 1971. The school district has prominently showcased its precolonial heritage along with its name, boasting the Warrior mascot.
“The Spartans are a part of Comsewogue history. Before we were the Warriors, we were the Spartans, before the high school came into existence. At JFK [middle school] we were the Spartans. I believe it was prior to 1972 that we were the Comsewogue Spartans,” DeVincenzo claimed.
As for this school year, Comsewogue School District will still be represented by the Warrior and looks to continue developing a logo and other fine-tuning before the Spartan is unveiled.
