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Village Times Herald

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File photo by Raymond Janis

Saving our resources

Thank you, county Legislator Steve Englebright [D-Setauket] for your marvelous Port Jefferson Civic Association meeting presentation this past Monday, Oct. 14, regarding the natural geological forces that continue to reshape our North Shore.

The lecture explained why the North Shore harbors east of Mount Sinai have been washed away over the millennia, and why Mount Sinai is the next of six remaining harbors in nature’s destructive pathway. In the 1930s, Mount Sinai harbor entrance jetties were constructed to prevent the natural eastward drift of Port Jefferson beach sediment from occluding its entrance.

Not only did this help preserve the harbor’s spawning grounds for fish and its riparian habitat for wildlife. It also provided storm flood protection and preserved its wonderful recreational resources for boating, fishing, swimming and other outdoor activities. Its sediment drift prevention stabilized the foot of our bluff and permitted its millennially denuded surface to develop a lush vegetative cover over a span of eight-decades.

These benefits ceased by 2017 when the unmaintained western jetty succumbed to three decades of storm destruction. Its loss produced accelerated sand drift and foot erosion that led to the collapse of the bluff’s vegetated surface by 2019. Reconstruction of the jetty in 2020 is again preventing eastern beach drift, and the section with seawall construction is no longer experiencing toe erosion.

It appears that we will be able to piecemeal recover from this tragedy after expediting the experts’ plans for controlling drainage from above by: (a) removing all cliffside courts; (b) building an effective storm drainage system and berm; (c) establishing absorptive crest vegetation; (d) repairing the breakthrough areas of bluff erosion; and (e) moving new tennis and pickleball courts far from areas with drainage issues — perhaps to the lower parking lot with use of East Beach for overflow venue parking.

The sophisticated engineering and ongoing maintenance efforts of seawall “dikes” in the Netherlands is considered a global model for highly successful coastal flood defense, and proper maintenance of a seawall provides protection for high-rise buildings 20 feet from the sea in Miami. With proper maintenance, man can battle natures erosive forces. Although changes in our Phase II project would be bureaucratically inconvenient, perhaps we should consider saving taxpayers the burden of the expensive upland steel-wall component with the understanding that clubhouse relocation may be needed in the future.

Brookhaven Town should also be convinced to develop a comprehensive Water Protection Plan (including Port Jefferson) similar to that developed by Southampton Town. Visit www.southamptontownny.gov and click on “Coastal Res. & Water Prot. Plan.”

                                        Al Cossari

          Member of the Port Jefferson Erosion Commission

Rethinking grades: The return of the ‘Do No Harm’ policy

At the Three Village Board of Education meeting held on Oct. 9, President Susan Rosenzweig reopened a discussion concerning the district’s currently defunct “Do No Harm” Policy.

Last fall the board, in its less than infinite wisdom, made the decision to abolish this policy which had been in place for several years and stated that if a grade on a Regents exam would lower a student’s final grade it would not be counted as part of that grade. If the score enhanced the final grade, it would indeed count.

After the Grading Committee led by Brian Biscari, assistant superintendent for educational services, made a determination to rescind this option and count Regents grades as 10% of a student’s final grade, the board voted to instate the new policy. A large majority of parents were appalled by this decision and made their feelings known, but to no avail. Now, seemingly under the radar, this policy was brought to the forefront with no notice, at a board meeting with little-to-no attendance.

Rosenzweig introduced the discussion with the assertion that after the June 2024 Regents season it was necessary to reconsider the decision that was made last fall. Her point was such that several school districts of our caliber (Jericho and Syosset) do not count the exams in students’ GPAs and our students could be put at a disadvantage by doing so. The scores in Three Village had not moved when the “Do No Harm” option was available and since New York State does not recommend factoring their exams into a GPA, it is simply not necessary. Karen Roughley, vice president, was in strong support of Rosenzweig’s argument as other trustees remained as wishy-washy as expected: Vinny Vizzo refused to articulate a solid opinion, claiming to see both sides, and Shaorui Li repeated her ridiculous attestation that the board “should not override a decision made by a committee of 35 educators.”

Trustee David McKinnon, the voice of consistency and specificity, strongly supported keeping our students on par with other districts by allowing them the advantage of not being penalized by state exams that do not necessarily embody the proper assessment of children’s knowledge and skills. His strongest point was that the state doesn’t stand behind their own tests so why should Three Village students have their grades affected by them?

In the end, after Biscari restated his belief that Regents exams have “value” and are “important for data collection” and Scanlon reiterated that the state is not doing away with the tests — they are simply instituting new pathways to graduation — the board took a vote. In what seemed like a unanimous decision, the board voted to reinstate the “Do No Harm” Policy in regards to the New York State Regents Examinations.

It was not clear, but I would hope for the sake of our kids that “Do No Harm” will be in effect for the January 2025 Regents exams and that parents and students will be made aware of the policy’s restoration. Since this discussion was not part of the Oct. 9 meeting agenda it is highly unlikely that anyone who did not watch and/or take part in the meeting is cognizant that this change was made.

As an informed parent I encourage those with students who are enrolled in courses culminating in a Regents exam to pay attention to the changes that are apparently coming with no notification. Thankfully the unplanned discussion led to a positive development, one that can only help our children. Granted, it’s no 30-minute start time adjustment, but at least our kids will have some relief from Regents anxiety. If only last year’s final grades could be recalculated to undo any harm that may have been done.

    Stefanie Werner

   East Setauket

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Ward Melville libero Megan O’Donnell digs one out for the Patriots. Photo by Bill Landon
Ward Melville girl's volleyball vs. Patchogue Medford 10/10/24. Photo by Bill Landon
Ward Melville girl's volleyball vs. Patchogue Medford 10/10/24. Photo by Bill Landon
Ward Melville girl's volleyball vs. Patchogue Medford 10/10/24. Photo by Bill Landon
Ward Melville senior Emma Bradshaw with another kill shot for the Patriots. Photo by Bill Landon
Ward Melville girl's volleyball vs. Patchogue Medford 10/10/24. Photo by Bill Landon
Ward Melville girl's volleyball vs. Patchogue Medford 10/10/24. Photo by Bill Landon
Ward Melville girl's volleyball vs. Patchogue Medford 10/10/24. Photo by Bill Landon
Ward Melville girl's volleyball vs. Patchogue Medford 10/10/24. Photo by Bill Landon
Ward Melville girl's volleyball vs. Patchogue Medford 10/10/24. Photo by Bill Landon
Ward Melville girl's volleyball vs. Patchogue Medford 10/10/24. Photo by Bill Landon
Ward Melville girl's volleyball vs. Patchogue Medford 10/10/24. Photo by Bill Landon
Ward Melville girl's volleyball vs. Patchogue Medford 10/10/24. Photo by Bill Landon
Ward Melville girl's volleyball vs. Patchogue Medford 10/10/24. Photo by Bill Landon
Ward Melville girl's volleyball vs. Patchogue Medford 10/10/24. Photo by Bill Landon
Loose ball makes for a difficult hit. Photo by Bill Landon
Ward Melville girl's volleyball vs. Patchogue Medford 10/10/24. Photo by Bill Landon

By Bill Landon

The undefeated Patriots of Ward Melville’s girls volleyball team at (11-0) did something they’ve only done once this season. They didn’t sweep their opponent 3-0 in the best of five sets for the second time this year. The visiting Patriots remain atop League I, having dispatched the Raiders of Patchogue-Medford, 25-12, 25-21, 23-25, 25-14, on Oct. 10.

The only other time the Patriots didn’t make a short day of it was when they dropped their very first set of the season in another road game, against William Floyd, Sept. 27, but still won 3-1.

After the Patriots handily won the first two sets, the Raiders countered in the third, edging their rival 25-23 and forcing a game four. Ward Melville wasn’t about to let the match go to five games as they downed the Raiders by 11 points to take the match.

Seniors Emma Bradshaw and Alexa Gandolfo proved to be a potent combination in the Patriot attack notching 31 kills, while juniors Chloe Borch and Jaclyn Engel recorded 32 digs between them.

The Patriots at 12-0 retain first place with four games left before postseason play begins.

— Photos by Bill Landon

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Eckart Wimmer. Photo by John Griffin/SBU
Jorge Benach. Photo from SBU
Carol Carter. Photo by Jeanne Neville/SBU
David Thanassi. Photo by Jeanne Neville/SBU

By Daniel Dunaief

The American Society for Microbiology named Stony Brook University’s Department of Microbiology and Immunology a “Milestone” program on Oct. 17th, recognizing the department’s historical research contributions in fields ranging from Lyme disease to polio virus, and infection and vaccines.

Stony Brook is the 20th program to receive this distinction from the ASM, joining Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory as the second such distinguished program on Long Island, and the fourth in the state.

It’s a “shared distinction among all the friends and colleagues from the department over the years” since its inception in 1972, said Carol Carter, Distinguished Professor in the department, and recent inductee into the National Academy of Sciences.

“It’s a family-community [honor],” she continued.

The Milestone recognition from the ASM raises the profile of the department and the university, as it recognizes its historical contribution to the field, and encourages and inspires the growing staff in a department in which basic research can lead to breakthrough discoveries.

“This is not an award or discovery for the last year or year before,” said Kevin Gardner, Vice President for Research and member of the Office of the President. “This is for historical levels of achievement over a really long period of time.”

Gardner planned to join department members, politicians including Assemblymember Edward Flood (R-Port Jefferson) and executives at ASM, as part of the recognition ceremony. The ASM, which was founded in 1899, and has over 32,000 members, is a “high-quality professional society and is about as good as they get,” Gardner added.

“It’s a tremendous honor.”

Theresa Koehler, president of ASM, will give a speech on the historic microbial science accomplishments at Stony Brook and designate the site officially a Milestone program.

Professor Emeritus, Nassau Community College/ University Medical Center and ASM Member, Lorraine Findlay, will also attend.

The ASM has been recognizing Milestones in Microbiology sites since 2002, when the first such honoree, Selman Waksam’s Laboratory at Rutgers University, received the honor.

“The program celebrates groundbreaking achievements that have shaped our understanding of microbiology and inspire future generations,” ASM Archivist Colleen Puterbaugh explained in an email.

The Stony Brook Department of Microbiology and Immunology has made the kind of fundamental discoveries regarding how cells work and how DNA and RNA and the different genetic building blocks come together that have led to treatments for diseases like polio, Gardner added.

“These types of recognition really help put the word out about what we’ve done and continue to do,” said David Thanassi, Chair of the Department of Microbiology and Immunology. “It helps build morale” and aids in recruiting additional faculty.

Last year, the department added four faculty members and is in the process of searching for another person to join.

In the wake of the COVID Pandemic, universities and research facilities have emphasized the importance of microbiology, immunology and virology, which are fields that could help provide the kind of basic science that leads to early diagnosis, prevention, and treatment.

“Other places want virologists, too, because there’s a greater awareness of the need for these types of researchers,” said Thanassi.

Compelling research

In the application Carter helped prepare to submit to the ASM, she focused on three specific basic research achievements that have had an important impact on human health.

Joseph Kates, Founding Chair of the department, discovered that viruses could package enzymes required to copy themselves. His research made it possible to target viral polymerases as a type of therapy.

“Up to that point, it really wasn’t known about the basics of how viruses replicate themselves,” said Carter. “Finding this enzyme that viruses have to carry in their coat meant humans could devise a strategy for countering their ability to replicate.”

When she was considering joining the young state university, Carter interviewed with Kates in 1975. Kates “was so impressive and so much fun,” said Carter, “it was difficult to envision why you wouldn’t come and work in his department.”

Additionally, the ASM considered the research of Jorge Benach, Willy Burgdorfer and scientists from the Rocky Mountain Laboratory, who identified the cause of Lyme disease, which is a particular problem on Long Island.

This work made it possible to create antibiotic therapies.

Benach was able to “isolate the spirochetes from patients and demonstrate that they were the causative agent of Lyme,” said Carter.

Benach also characterized the form of the infection that occurs in dogs. Meanwhile, Eckard Wimmer was the first to describe the chemical synthesis of a polio virus without using a natural template. He was also the co-discoverer, with Vincent Racaniello, of the human receptor for poliovirus.

Wimmer’s work started efforts to synthesize organisms in the absence of a natural template, making it possible to develop new strategies in virus vaccine development.

Two plaques

As a part of the ceremony, the ASM will award Stony Brook two plaques. One of them will be visible in the department itself, while the other will go up in the Renaissance School of Medicine’s lobby, near the dean’s office and the library.

Carter suggested that the department continues to conduct research that is globally important.

“These days, the [discoveries] are not low-hanging fruit,” Carter said.

“The answers don’t come easily. You do feel gratified, whether you or somebody else in your unit, provides some sort of understanding that we didn’t appreciate before,” she continued.

In addition to the principal investigators who conducted research that proved important for human health, Carter added that the students who gained experience and insights at the university have gone on to develop productive careers.

“We have had fabulous students.”

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'Autumn Wagon' by John Mansueto
'As the Sun Sets' Angela Stratton
'Autumn of My Life' Ron Becker
'Ocean's Fury' Jane McGraw-Teubner

By Heidi Sutton

The brisk weather and falling leaves signals the return of a perennial favorite,  the Setauket Artists annual exhibition. The popular show kicks off with a reception at the Setauket Neighborhood House on Sunday, Oct. 20 from noon to 4 p.m. and runs through Nov. 15. The exhibit will encompass the entire first floor of the historic building which dates back to the early 1700s.

Now in its 44th year, the show will feature approximately 90 pieces of art from 33 members and two invited artists in a variety of mediums including oil, watercolor, acrylic and pastel along with handpainted photographs and cyanotypes by Marlene Weinstein.

Paula Pelletier, publicist for the Setauket Artists and a member for the past 16 years, is excited for the unveiling and will have multiple watercolors in the show including two created just for the occasion.

“Because we live in such a beautiful area, many of the paintings are inspired by Long Island landscapes and seascapes of the Sound. Other paintings reflect artists’ travels and daily inspirations, which range from a painting of Belgium (by Renee Caine) to Stony Brook Harbor (by Gail Chase),” said Pelletier. 

While the exhibit does not have a particular theme, “one can’t help but notice the many works that deal with the changing seasons, particularly the vibrant autumn on Long Island and the quiet winter which will follow,” she added.

This year’s show will be judged by Gay Gatta who will be tasked with choosing Best in Show, 5 Honorable Mentions and a new award in honor of the group’s beloved former president who passed away last June, the Irene Ruddock Award of Excellence.

Participating artists include Ross Barbera, Shain Bard, Ron Becker, Robert Berson, Kyle Blumenthal, Sheila Breck, Joyce Bressler, Renee Caine, Al Candia, Gail Chase, Anthony Davis, Julie Doczi, William Dodge, Paul Edelson, Margaret Governale,  Larry Johnston, Flo Kemp, Karen Kemp, Joanne Liff, John Mansueto, Jane McGraw Teubner, Terence McManus, Fred Mendelsohn, Muriel Musarra, Annette Napolitano, Paula Pelletier, Joan Rockwell, Robert Roehrig, Oscar Santiago, Carole Link Scinta, Barbara Jeanne Siegel, Angela Stratton, Susan Trawick, Marlene Weinstein, and Patricia Yantz.

Visitors will have the opportunity to take home a painting that speaks to them. “All paintings are for sale and there will be many small works, matted and framed, perfect for holiday giving. And unframed, matted works will be available in bins; some are originals, others are giclee prints,” said Pelletier.

In addition, four paintings will be raffled off including “Springtime on the Old Post Road” by Julie Doczi; “Stony Brook Grist Mill” by Renee Caine; “Winter Birches” by Al Candia; and “Grist Mill” by John Mansueto, who is also this year’s “Honored Artist.”

Pelletier encourages everyone to come check out the exhibit. 

“We live in trying times. A quite afternoon contemplating the beauty created by talented artists can ease the pressure and the threat of hurricanes, political chaos and goodness knows what else tomorrow will bring.”

The Setauket Neighborhood House, 95 Main St., Setauket presents the 44th annual Setauket Artists Exhibition from Oct. 20 to Nov. 15 daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. except for special events. Generously sponsored by Steven Baroumis, broker/owner of SBNY RE, admission to the exhibit is free. For more information, visit www.setauketartists.com.

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SBU's Elizabeth Watson, second from right, and her team coring.

By Daniel Dunaief

Daniel Dunaief

I used to liken the process to sitting on a highway divider where the speed limit was 70 miles per hour, holding a notebook and trying to read and record as many license plates as I could, sometimes in the pouring rain, under a bright sun, or in thick fog.

Working for a wire service, with its 24-hour news feed and its endless space for stories, was exhilarating and exhausting. My editors sometimes called me at 4 a.m. to tell me about an important story that was breaking and to encourage me to come into the office to get to work.

Oh, and every three months, when the companies I covered reported earnings, I’d arrive at work for at least a week around 7 in the morning, wait for the numbers to come out, and then spend the day reading the reports, talking with analysts and investors, getting on media conference calls with top executives and watching the stock price of the company rise and fall.

My job was to search through all that information to anticipate how people would react to piles of electronic news.

It was a great opportunity to write on deadline and to experience the absurd. One day, I helped write a few headlines and then had to use the bathroom. As I pushed the door open, my editor, following uncomfortably closely behind me, hovered.

“Can I help you?” I asked, as I stopped and turned around.

“Yeah, how long are you going to be in here?” he asked in his usual staccato, urgent tone.

“As long as it takes,” I shrugged.

“Yeah, well, there’s a headline out there and you need to send out the first version of the story within 15 minutes,” he reminded me, as if I didn’t know our rules.

“I know,” I said, “and I’m sure my system will comply with the requirements.”

Those were tough days at the office.

I’m sure everyone has difficult days at work, whether it’s a police officer dealing with someone who is in an altered, drug-induced state who may be a danger to himself or others, a teacher helping a high-stress student prepare for a standardized test, a truck driver taking a long detour around a crash site, or any of the many other possible strains or obstacles between the start of the day and the workload.

Recently, I spoke with several climate scientists who are a part of the Science on Stage free celebration at Stony Brook University’s Staller Center, which is coming up on October 28th at 4 p.m. (see related story in the Arts & Lifestyles section).

These scientists endure everything from creature discomforts, to resistance to the work they’re doing, to their own deadlines and the need to conduct their studies, publish their results and apply for funding.

Indeed, Elizabeth Watson, Associate Professor in the Department of Ecology & Evolution at Stony Brook University, shared several challenging moments.

“I’ve gotten stuck in the mud, covered with ticks, I’ve gotten Lyme, crawled across mudflats, pushed boats across mudflats, had to row our power boat back to the launch ramp more than once, [and] got forgotten about on a raft in a lagoon,” Watson wrote in an email.

Each of those challenges could have become the focal point of action for a biopic about a scientist.

Heather Lynch, Professor in the Department of Ecology & Evolution, explained that her research on penguins in Antarctica requires considerable advanced planning.

“The main challenge of working in Antarctica is really the uncertainty imposed by the weather and logistics,” she explained in an email. “It’s not enough to have Plan B, it’s more like Plan B through Plan F and then some. Covid and now avian flu have made an already difficult situation even harder.”

Still, at their most challenging moments, waiting for the weather to change, hoping someone will remember to pick them up, or living without creature comforts, these researchers find joy and derive satisfaction in doing valuable and constructive work.

“I’m like a bricklayer, adding more bricks to an enormous wall of knowledge that was started long before I started working on penguins and will continue to be built long after,” Lynch wrote.

Or, to put it another way, Watson wrote that “I love my job! No regrets.”

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METROCREATIVE CONNCETION

By Leah Dunaief

Leah Dunaief,
Publisher

My college class is hosting a forum on friendship and how to define it. During this time, when loneliness seems to be a problem for many, what role should friendship play, especially in our later years?

I read someplace, not too long ago, that most people claim to have five or six good friends, and that is ideal, according to the professionals who study this subject. It made me think about how many good friends I have, and whether I have the requisite number for a happy life.

What makes people become friends?

Perhaps friends play a different role in one’s life at different stages. I tried to remember the friends I had in my earliest years. There was Evelyn in Second Grade. What attracted me to her was her ability to draw. I was enamored with The Lone Ranger at that point, read as many books by Fran Striker (who I later learned was Frances, a woman author) as I could find, and I asked Evelyn to draw scenes from the books for me. I would give her some particulars, and she would follow up and make drawings on looseleaf sheets of paper that illustrated the vignettes I would describe to her. And she did so quickly, as I talked, which was amazing.

Why did she do that for me? She was terrible in arithmetic, and I would do her homework for her, probably as quickly as she could draw. So we had a mutual attraction as a result of our individual skills. Also she lived down the block from my family’s apartment, and we would walk home together from school. So convenience and mutual needs played a part in encouraging friendship.

It all ended, of course, when the teacher realized I was doing her homework. It was innocent enough. I never meant to abort her learning and hope she caught on to numbers and what one could do with them.

I went to an all-girls junior high school that only one other classmate entered, and she was put into a different section, so I had no friends immediately. But I was attracted to a small group who came from the other side of town and seemed to have a lot of fun with each other.

They were sophisticated. In particular, they would slip out of school 15 minutes before the end of the last class, run down the stairs of the subway outside the school building and ride to the Broadway Theater District, where they would arrive just as the plays would break for intermission.

When the audience members would then walk back in, they would, too, and carefully find empty seats. In that way, they saw the second act of some of the most famous musicals of the 1950s. I wanted desperately to be part of that group, and somehow they accepted me. They were my junior high friends, and I still think of them fondly.

So common interests make for friendships.

In high school and college, my friends were a couple of classmates that I most admired. They brought different ideas to class and had the courage to speak about the subjects in an original way. There were others, too, who were enjoyable companions throughout those early years, and with whom I kept up until we each went our separate ways after we married and moved from New York. But I kept in touch with those original two I most respected. So respect is another factor in deep friendships.

As we had children, our friends most often were the parents of their friends, which was convenient. And we had friends from work. But then, our children grew up, left the nest, and we were again on our own, with the time to rediscover old friends who were witnesses to our earlier years and to make new ones.

Witnesses and shared experiences now make for strong glue in friendship. And mutual admiration, loyalty and empathy for all that has happened and is happening to us as we age, are powerful bonds among friends.

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Ward Melville High School. File photo

By Mallie Jane Kim

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.”

 

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Members of the Stony Brook football team (#22 Cal Redman, #14 Rodney Faulk, and #5 Jasiah Williams)dropped by to check out the new statue with Wolfie and Interim President Richard McCormick. Photo courtesy of SBU

Stony Brook University recently unveiled a new statue of everyone’s favorite mascot, Wolfie, on the Academic Mall. 

The 7-foot-tall bronze sculpture created by artist Virgil Oertle stands behind a bench where fellow Seawolves can come over and relax, or take a photo. Funds were generously donated by alumnus Ken Marcus, Class of 1971.

Interim President Richard McCormick said the university was thrilled to present the statue to the community, and hoped it will be an enduring symbol of the pride of Stony Brook.

“Wolfie spans many generations of Seawolves, connecting us all through his spirit and tenacity,” McCormick said. “He is authentic, confident, inspiring and a supportive friend, reflecting the best of who we are as a community, and as individuals.”

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Stony Brook Mill Pond. Photo by Giselle Barkley
John Turner

The Ecology and Evolution Department at Stony Brook University, 100 Nicolls Road, Stony Brook continues its Living World lecture series with “Should the Mill Pond Be Rebuilt? Reconnecting Severed Threads” with guest speaker John F. Turner, Division of Land Management for the Town of Brookhaven, in the Javits Lecture Center, Room 111 on the West Campus on Monday, Oct. 21 at 6 p.m.

Some landscape features such as the thousands of dams installed in rivers have severed or compromised ecological connections for animal species, especially migratory fishes. Turner will describe the solutions to such problems, including the recent strong rainstorms in this region that broke several dams, giving an opportunity for restorations that restore fish migration routes.
A noted Long Island Naturalist, John Turner is a founder of the Long island Pine Barrens Association, has worked on land restoration in Long Island for decades and is an officer in the Seatuck Environmental Association and the Four Harbors Audubon Society.
The event is free. For more information, call 631-632-8600.

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Fall has arrived! Be sure to check out some of the Town of Brookhaven’s recreation centers’ upcoming fun and educational programs:

Robert E. Reid, Sr. Recreation Center
Defense Hill Road & Route 25A, Shoreham, NY 11786
Call 631-451-5306 for more information or help registering online.

Yoga
This is a slow-flow yoga class for all levels, moving at a slower pace and holding poses a little longer.  Breathing and relaxation exercises are incorporated to help de-stress. Please bring a yoga mat.
Dates: Mondays, October 21, November 4, 18, 25, December 2, 9
Time: 7:00pm – 8:00pm
Fee: $42.00 per 6-week session
To register online, click HERE.

Jump Bunch Jr. (Ages 3-5)
Learn a new sport each week. Includes sports such as soccer, football, lacrosse, volleyball and basketball. No equipment necessary. Just bring water.
Dates: Thursdays, November 7, 14, 21, December 5, 12, 19
Time: 4:00pm – 5:00pm
Fee: $62.00 per 6-week session
To register online, click HERE.

Jump Bunch Kids (Ages 6-9)
Learn a new sport each week. Includes sports such as soccer, football, lacrosse, volleyball and basketball. No equipment necessary. Just bring water.
Dates: Thursdays, November 7, 14, 21, December 5, 12, 19
Time: 5:15pm – 6:00pm
Fee: $62.00 per 6-week session
To register online, click HERE.

Henrietta Acampora Recreation Center
39 Montauk Highway, Blue Point, NY 11715
Call 631-451-6163 for more information or help registering online.

Sprouts & Friends: Babies & Non-Walkers (Ages 6 months – 12 months)
Join Sprouts & Friends for a fun, safe and creative way to learn to move through music and release energy. Our mission is to create joy while helping your little ones grow, learn, develop and explore through playful activities.
Dates: Fridays, November 8, 15, 22, December 6, 13, 20
Time: 1:00pm – 1:45pm
Fee: $42.00 per 6-week session
To register online, click HERE.

Country Line Dancing – Improver
These classes welcome advanced beginners and intermediate dancers.
Dates: Mondays, November 25, December 2, 9, 16, 23, 30
Time: 2:30pm – 4:00pm
Fee: $47.00 per 6-week session
To register online, click HERE.

Parks Administration Building
286 Hawkins Road, Centereach, NY 11720
Call 631-451-6112 for more information or help registering online.

Indoor Bocce
Meet and play with different people each week. 2 games per week.
Individual sign up.
Dates: Tuesdays, November 12, 19, 26, December 3, 10, 17
Time: 10:00am – 12:00pm
Fee: $32.00 per 6-week session
To register online, click HERE.

Centereach Sports Complex
286 Hawkins Road, Centereach, NY 11720
Call 631 451-6131 for more information or help registering online.

Pickleball
Check out our upcoming one day clinics.
Visit www.brookhavenny.gov/reconline under the Sports tab to register.

 

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