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Middle Country school district

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File photo by Julianne Mosher

On May 18, the Middle Country Central School District will vote on four new candidates to join, or continue on, the board of education. 

Eight individuals are running for the four spots — one of them filling the remainder of an unexpired term created by the resignation of Dina Phillips that commenced on July 1, 2020. That seat is currently occupied by William Ferraro, whose appointment expires on May 18. 

Arlene Barresi

Arlene Barresi has been a district resident for over 43 years, with her two children and their spouses all Middle Country graduates. Two of Barresi’s five grandchildren are currently attending MCCSD schools.

She said she has been committed to education for 34 years, previously employed as a school secretary, teacher aide and special education teaching assistant with Eastern Suffolk BOCES. 

Although she retired in June 2006, she said serving on the board of education allows her to continue her commitment to education.

As a community member, Barresi was a Brownie and Girl Scout leader, as well as a religious education instructor.

During her time as a board trustee, she has chaired and served on the Legislative/Community Outreach, Bond, Evaluation, Business Advisory Board and Safe Schools committees. She also serves as a board trustee for Eastern Suffolk BOCES since 2015.

Up for reelection this year, Barresi has lobbied for education in Albany and in Washington, D.C.

“I’m glad to be running again,” she said during a virtual meet-the-candidates night on April 29.  “I’ve been on the board for 16 years. We’ve accomplished a lot in our district.”

Arlene Barresi did not return calls to comment on district concerns and her plans as board member.

John DeBenedetto

John DeBenedetto graduated from the Newfield High School in 1990 and has been a resident of Middle Country for the majority of his life. 

He graduated from Stony Brook University with a B.S. in Biology and a minor in Business Management. His Master’s degree is in Elementary education from Dowling College and his post-master’s degree from Queens College is in School Administration.

DeBenedetto, and his wife Kristin, has three school-aged children ranging from kindergarten to high school. They reside in Selden.

Currently a high school principal in another district, he has been in the education field for 23 years. His teaching experience ranges from elementary through high school. DeBenedetto is currently a co-principal for the William Floyd School District. 

During his tenure as a principal, he has been instrumental in creating new programs for students, improving student performance on state exams, and helped to increase the graduation rates for two high schools. DeBenedetto currently volunteers for the local Cub Scouts troop.

As a first-time runner, he said his goal is make sure MCCSD’s students are ready for the real world. 

“A big concern for me is making sure our students are when they graduate, college and career ready,” he said. 

He said he’s choosing to run because this community helped him become the person he is today.

“With the recent concerns regarding the state budget, my goal is to ensure that Middle Country receives the funding we need to challenge our students, to provide our teachers and administrators with the resources they need to be successful,” he said. 

Sandro Fernandes

Sandro Fernandes did not respond to multiple attempts for an interview.

William Ferraro

William Ferraro has been a resident of the Middle Country school district since 2016. He and his wife, Kerry, have two children in the district — their oldest in first grade and youngest who will be entering pre-K next year. 

Ferraro is a senior contract manager for the New York City Administration for Children’s Services. 

He was appointed last fall to fill a vacancy on the board.

“I always wanted to serve on a school board when my children were in school. It was a big goal of mine,” he said. 

Ferraro joined the Legislative/Community Outreach Committee as a private citizen, helping with issues like lobbying to get cameras on school-bus stop signs and getting Stagecoach Elementary School in Selden shut down as a polling site.

“I’d like to keep serving because this is extremely important to me — as a father, as a community member,” he said. “I think there’s a lot of good that somebody can do from a school board. I like being able to provide constituent services. I like being able to listen to parents and listen to district employees about what their needs are. And if I can go to the administration and go to the board, or propose a change, that at least provides a voice to those who feel like maybe they’re not heard. I can do that.”

Ferraro said his three main priorities are to continue the safe return to school during COVID-19.

“I want our kids to get back to normal, but we have to do it within the confines of the CDC and what the county Department of Health [Services] is asking for us,” he said. “My personal opinion is that we’re not going to be wearing masks for too much longer, but while we’re still required to do so we have to continue to sacrifice and continue to move forward, and make the school experience as normal as possible.”

He added that special education is a big focus, saying it can be better in the district. 

“We can always get more funding into that area. I have been on every SEPTA call since being appointed to the board, and I will continue to be as responsive as possible,” he said. 

Ferraro said his third biggest focus is the budget. 

“I’m proud that this year with our budget, we did not pierce the tax cap and we held to the lowest tax [levy] increase at 0.88%, and to do that during COVID, while maintaining funding for programs, and not having to fire any teachers or staff, I think is a great accomplishment for our district,” he said.

Robert Hallock

Robert Hallock is a father of three children who all attend the Middle Country school district. He has worked in New York City as a police officer for almost four years. 

Before joining the force, he worked with the traffic courts and for the Town of Brookhaven Public Safety Department. 

“I wanted to run mainly because of the information that I’ve been getting from the teachers,” he said. 

Hallock noted that his oldest son, a kindergartner, is in an individualized education program.

“We’ve had to do a lot of different steps in order to get him the best education possible,” he said. “And it’s been a true struggle.”

He began attending board meetings because he knew it was impacting his child and the teachers who have been guiding his family throughout this process.

“Since they helped me, and continue to help me, it’s my chance to give back,” he said.

Hallock said he thinks he has the “upper hand” on safety and security, noting his experience with law enforcement. He also wants to see if the district can get more funding for its special education program.

“We have one of the best special education programs in Suffolk County, if not Long Island,” he said. “People really rave about it, and I didn’t realize it until I was in the middle of it.”

And on top of security and special education, Hallock wants to fight back on COVID-19 restrictions in the schools.

“I’d love to see the masks come off of our students,” he said. “I want to see the board be in-person in meetings instead of on Zoom. If the kids are back in school, we’re supposed to be an example for the district.”

Hallock said they are “lucky” to have a five-day in-school program and plans to ensure students continue to have live learning.

He said he’s doing this because he’s a concerned dad in the district.

“A lot of people use this as a stepping stone to get into politics,” he said. “And I hate that, personally. It shouldn’t really be about politics in this area.”

Karen Lessler

Karen Lessler has lived in the Middle Country school district for almost 40 years, leaving Northport to settle with her family in Centereach. She has two adult sons with children of their own.

Lessler’s husband of 35 years, George, is a graduate of Newfield High School.

The current BOE president and a high school assistant principal by day, she said she decided to run for the board of education more than two decades ago to help improve the district.

“I continue to focus on what is best for students and how can we make positive changes for our children and the community,” she said in an email. “The value and reputation of our schools is a reflection of our community and home values. I want not only what’s best for students but what’s best for our community as a whole.”

Lessler said her experience as an educator brings a lot to the table. A teacher for 18 years, and a board member for 21 years, she also received a doctorate degree in education.

“I have experience in lobbying, negotiations and policymaking. I also have very strong leadership skills,” she said. “I think experience matters.”

Two issues she wants to address if reelected is the current impact of COVID-19 on students, and the implementation of several programs to help Middle Country students adjust to school full-time.

Lesser wants to address the social, emotional and academic impact the pandemic has had on students, also the continuous loss of state revenue. 

“More mandates-less funding translates to higher property taxes or cutting programs,” she said. “It’s a challenge to implement a five-year plan when the State of New York works on their budget annually.”

She added she will continue to support programs implemented by the superintendent, and meet with elected officials, along with other districts, to address concerns.

“Over the years there have been many success stories,” she said. “The Middle Country school board was the group that stopped the MTA tax on Long Islanders. The pre-K grant we receive each year was the efforts of the school board. A grant for $500,000 for our life skills program was also the efforts of the school board. And most recently, the camera on the school buses was a Middle Country school board initiative.”

Deborah Mann-Rodriguez

Deborah Mann-Rodriguez, a graduate of the Middle Country school district and Stony Brook University, is looking to run for the board of education.

She has been employed at Stony Brook University for approximately 22 years, mostly dedicated to supporting faculty members with acquiring funds for meaningful research from federal, state, and philanthropic agencies. In her role, she manages all of the grants, contracts, sub-awards, clinical trials that come from the SBU College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, which is composed of nine academic departments and five academic programs, including Women in Science and Engineering. 

Additionally, she earned a bachelor’s in health science and disability studies and a master’s in health care policy and management, both from Stony Brook University. 

She and her husband have two daughters who attend Middle Country schools. 

“I decided to run for this office because I have two amazing kids in the district,” she said in an email. “I have the unique vantage point of being a graduate of MCCSD, having children that are currently in the district, having family and friends who are educators, administrators and support staff within the district.”

She said running for this position is “uncharacteristic” of herself.

“I have never run for any political office and I am not using this opportunity as a stepping stone for something more grandiose,” she said. “I’m doing it for my two children, my two nieces and one nephew, and all of our kids in this community.”

Mann-Rodriguez said her main goal is to ensure that all students, parents and educators feel safe, acknowledged and supported in this community. 

“I will work to ensure that our children have the opportunities they deserve in order to succeed,” she said. “I will do this by helping to organize synergistic activities between MCCSD and the surrounding higher education institutions, such as Stony Brook University, Suffolk Community College, Hofstra University and St. Joseph’s College.”

She added that as board member, she wants to encourage interest in STEM fields among the students of Middle Country.

Mario Nicoletto

Mario Nicoletto is a 20-year-old Centereach High School graduate who grew up in the Middle Country school district. 

Currently a student at Suffolk County Community College, he has worked in government and local politics for over two-and-a-half years. 

He said the reason he decided to run was because he was in the shoes of the district’s students not too long ago. 

“The average age of graduating high school is 18,” he said. “My point being, I’m a better representative of students than I would say, really any of the other six folks.”

He said that with the exception of fellow candidate Will Ferraro, there are no millennial or Gen Z representatives on the board.

“I feel like, wouldn’t you want students to represent students?” he said. “I know the ins and outs. I’m not just some guy, and I’m not a teacher, not a cop. Obviously, I’m not a PTA member, I’m not a parent. I’m a real human being and I’m just trying to help out all 61,000 people that live here.”

Nicoletto has been working with state Sen. Phil Boyle (R-East Islip) representing the 4th Dis-trict as a legislative intern. Previously he helped U.S. Congressman Lee Zeldin’s (R-NY1) campaign as deputy office manager. 

He said his biggest concern is the budget. 

“I am against the budget,” he said. “I think that we should have more reconciliation when it comes to things like that.”

Although he said he likes “some parts of the budget,” he is unhappy that last year 78% of it went to faculty. 

“I’m not talking about the teachers, I’m talking about the people up top,” he said. “And that, frankly, doesn’t make a whole lot of sense to me.”

Nicoletto said that when 25% of those people are under the age of 21, he believes more money should be given back those who could benefit from it. 

“I think that we should be given more money to our students and more money into programs that will help us have a dialogue with the community,” he said.

He also wants to make safety a top priority, as well as managing the COVID-19 crisis. 

“I genuinely believe that if a student is vaccinated, he or she should not be mandated to wear a mask,” he said. “But I also don’t think that we should mandate every student to have the COVID vaccine.”

For security, although the there is a school resource officer, he thinks there should be more done. 

“I don’t think that’s going far enough,” he said. “I would like a legitimate school resource officer with arms, such as a handgun.”

Nicoletto said the district could use a revamp in its security system by hiring retired police officers and military.

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From left to right: Frank Mathews, Corinne Behrens and Isabella Zimmerman. These three Centereach High School seniors chose to get vaccinated this month and are encouraging their friends and families to do the same. Photo by Julianne Mosher

It’s a month since Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) announced that all New Yorkers ages 16 and over would be eligible for vaccinations as from April 6.

Three seniors at Centereach High School took advantage of the vaccine earlier this month and wanted to share why they chose to do it and why they feel their friends should, too.

Corinne Behrens, 17, got her first dose of the Pfizer shot on April 21, said she chose to get the vaccine because she battled COVID-19 last year and didn’t want to experience that pain again. 

“My dad works in a hospital, so he got COVID last year right at the beginning, and then my brother and I both got it,” she said. “I actually had the worst symptoms of my family. For a solid month, I was out of it.”

Behrens said that after experiencing the horrors of the illness firsthand, living with a frontline worker, she knows the shot will bring things back to normal.

“I definitely have a couple of friends who are anti-mask wearers, and also who don’t think the vaccine is going to do anything,” she said. “They find it all pointless, and that COVID is just like a laughing matter, a big joke.”

But she hopes by sharing that she believes in the science, that others will “take it more seriously, especially definitely with the new variants.”

“We’re still finding out new things about it,” Behrens added. “And it’s definitely something that everyone should take seriously, because people have it and people are still dying.”

She said she’s looking forward to when there are less restrictions for her day-to-day life and for the time where she can sit around a campfire with her friends, again. She hopes to pick up where 2020 left off.

“Everything that I had planned out already wasn’t going to happen,” Behrens said. She missed out on visiting colleges, taking her SATs and fundraising with her school clubs for trips and events that would have normally taken place if it weren’t for the virus.

“Definitely try to get the vaccine if you can,” she advised. “Because then we’re all spending less time in this situation, and we all just want to get out of it and go back to our normal lives without a mask.”

Frank Mathews, 18, said that getting the vaccine was a no-brainer, opting to get it even earlier than his peers because he works at a supermarket. Mathews said his household has several high-risk individuals who he wanted to keep safe as he worked in the public throughout the pandemic. 

When he got his Pfizer shots in March, he was just sore at first but with the second dose he felt ill. In the end, he felt the day in bed was better than contracting coronavirus.

“It’s better to be prepared for it, rather than to give up,” he said. “Especially because we’re all young, high school kids. So, I think it’s better for us to get it now.”

Mathews said he knows a lot of people who are against the vaccine and wearing masks, and he understands their concerns. 

The senior who plans on attending Suffolk County Community College said he’s looking forward to going camping again, and having a sense of normalcy. He said his 16-year-old brother and older brother decided to get their vaccines, too. This extra line of protection in his home gives him hope that life can pick up where it left off. 

“We all have to act together on this,” he said. “We all have to keep our masks up, you know, wearing them properly, too. All these things are all factors to contribute and everything we all have to do together, and that’s the only way we can get through this properly.”

Isabella Zimmerman, 18, who committed to Utica College to study physical therapy, was unsure about getting the vaccine at first. 

“I was on the fence just because obviously I want my life back,” she said. “I want to be able to do things and not worry. But at the same time, it’s so early that we don’t know what’s going to happen in the future.”

After weighing the pros and the cons, Zimmerman decided to get her Pfizer shot the first week of April.

“I feel like, at the same time, if they’re making it so accessible it can’t be that dangerous,” she said.

Her parents both got the shot, she said, and gave her the option to choose for herself. 

“But I feel we don’t have much of a decision anymore because we’re at the point where we want to be young, and live our lives and travel still,” she said. “And all those things pretty much require a vaccine.”

She said at this point it was easier to get the vaccine instead of constantly worrying what she was allowed and not allowed to do. 

Zimmerman said she felt discouraged this year because she missed out on the highlights of her junior and senior years.

“I feel not enough people are acknowledging it, how hard it is on us,” she said. “It’s so hard to keep coming in and paying attention when everything is virtual or there’s nothing fun to do after school.”

By getting her vaccine, she said she’s looking forward to working her summer jobs hopefully without a mask, and getting back to her life prepandemic. 

“Going into college, it’d be nice to have some kind of group gatherings and parties to meet people,” she said. “It’s going to be hard going to school, especially if you’re going away … you don’t know anyone and there are no group gatherings. No one wants to become friends over Zoom.”

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Legislator Nick Caracappa (rear, left) stands next to Middle Country’s Athletic Director Joe Mercado and with students and coaches of the Middle Country Central School District and Longwood School District’s Cross Country teams.

Legislator Nick Caracappa attended a high school dual cross country meet at Farmingville Hills County Park on Portion Road this week, held between Middle Country and Longwood School Districts. Caracappa recently secured Farmingville Hills Park for use by the Middle Country Cross Country Team.

“Middle Country’s meets had previously been held at Sunken Meadow State Park, which is a considerable distance from their area,” stated Legislator Caracappa. “Plus, when all State Parks were closed due to the pandemic, Middle Country’s Coach Joe Toto reached out to me to find a new, closer venue. I then contacted County Executive Steve Bellone’s office for assistance. Shortly after, Mr. Bellone announced the re-opening of all Suffolk County parks for use by the school districts’ cross country teams.”

Purchased by the county in the 1980s as a part of the Open Space Preservation Act, the 105-acre park officially opened to the public in May of 2010. The park features a large open area of grass where events take place, as well as 1.2 miles of hiking trails with hilly terrain.

“I’m pleased to have helped the team stay closer to home, which saves them travel time and the district considerable gas money. Additionally, it was very rewarding to hear firsthand how much the student- athletes and coaches love the county parks and look forward to utilizing them in the future,” concluded Caracappa.

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Stock photo

This week, Long Islanders acknowledged the one-year mark since the coronavirus hit officially hit and impacted the area. In March 2020, schools began to close, as stay-at-home orders were put into effect. 

Throughout the remainder of the school year, districts had to figure out new learning models in a virtual world and create a socially distanced environment when schools opened back up nearly six months later. 

Now, many districts in the area have opted to bring students back in-person all five days a week, hoping to give children, teachers and families a sense of normalcy. 

Rocky Point Union Free School District 

Rocky Point school district has been back full time for K-5 since September, according to superintendent of schools, Scott O’Brien. 

By November, secondary schools began attending in-person classes four days a week, and now have implemented five days as of last week. “Reopening our schools this year and embracing a phased-in approach to safely bring our K-12 students back to school full time was a truly collaborative effort, and I can’t thank all of our stakeholders enough for their unwavering support,” he said. “Our elementary students have been thriving, learning in person full time since the start of the school year and our district was able to successfully and safely increase our in-person learning days from two to four by November for our secondary students.”

He said that “it was clear pretty early into the increased learning plan how much this move tremendously benefited our students, not only academically but socially and emotionally as well.”

O’Brien said that the district is continually working to ensure their learning environments remain safe. 

Middle Country Central School District  

Roberta Gerold, superintendent of Middle Country school district, said that pre-K through grade 8 will be returning to five days April 5. 

For grades 9 through 12, it was be a slower process to ensure everyone’s safety. 

“By the end of the school year, the goal is to be back to five days,” she said. “We want kids to have muscle memory of what it was like to be in school.”

Gerold said that bringing kids back to schools was the goal all along. 

“Kids are missing the classroom experience,” she said. “The interaction, the energy and it’s good for teachers, too.”

She said that they are following all the necessary precautions, including barriers and mask requirements. Due to space limitations, she said that the 6-feet social distancing rule is unobtainable, but desks and distances are closer to 5-feet apart. 

She said it’s exciting to see how happy her students are at slowly coming back to school. 

“I think it’s wonderful,” she said. “It’s neat to see how excited the kids are and it’s good to start feeling a sense of normalcy again.”

Middle Country is still offering a full virtual option for families who declared so early on. Gerold said right now about 20% of the student population is virtually learning. 

SWR Central School District

Superintendent Gerard Poole said that since September, Shoreham-Wading River has been back full time, five days a week, and there have been no problems for all levels. 

“We have a fully remote option, but about 97% have been attending in person,” he said.

By following all the correct protocols and by reopening a vacant elementary school to help with distancing, students and parents have been thrilled. 

“It’s been fantastic, a huge success,” he said. “It’s good for the students’ mental health, and helps the parents get back to work.”

He said that it takes a collective effort to make things like this happen.

“It can work,” he said. “It does work, and all the other health and safety protocols work. So, I think the fears of COVID are real, but so are the effects of students not being in school every day.”

Comsewogue School District

Superintendent Jennifer Quinn said that beginning April 6, after spring break, high schoolers will be returning to a normal week. Grades K-6 have been back since September. 

“Nothing replaces live instruction,” Quinn said. “The [COVID] numbers are low at this point and we’ve watched from some of the surrounding districts that their numbers are not significantly different than ours. … We want the students to be in school. Live instruction is the best way to learn.”

She added that the district’s teachers and the community as a whole have done “an amazing job during this difficult situation.”

“It’s a hard decision, people are afraid,” Quinn said. “It’s not right for everybody, but the key is this was the plan, and we were working toward this for a long time.”

Comsewogue will still have an option for families to remain virtual. 

“One size doesn’t fit all,” said Joe Coniglione, assistant superintendent. 

And while it’s still a difficult time, Quinn said that everyone is excited to be going back to five days. 

“We’re going to be as safe as we can possibly make it, and we need students to feel that this is their safe place,” she said. “Overall, the kids are suffering. It’s not normal to be home every other day and not being able to see their friends.”

Port Jefferson School District

Since Jan. 18, the Port Jefferson School District transitioned students in grades six through 12 back to in-person learning four days a week. 

“Thus far, we have not seen a rapid rise in our positive COVID cases in our middle school and high school,” Superintendent Jessica Schmettan recently wrote in a letter to parents. “Unfortunately, it has become evident that during this pandemic, our students have not been as successful academically and are struggling with their mental health. We have seen an increase in social and emotional needs similar to those reported in the news across the country.”

She said that from a health perspective, mandating masks, cleaning procedures, hand hygiene and distancing when possible have resulted in minimal transmission within the school. With that in mind, the board of education voted on returning secondary students to in-person learning five days per week beginning on March 8. 

“We as parents are thrilled about that and we as a community are thrilled about that,” Port Jefferson Village trustee Kathianne Snaden said in a virtual board of trustees meeting on March 1. “There’s nothing going to be better for our kids, and then to get them back into school with their friends and teachers and all the things they need in school, we’re so happy about that.”

Schmettan added, “Currently, students very easily shift in and out of the remote environment. Although convenient for parents and families, this irregular pattern of instruction is disruptive

and unfair to teachers and students.”

There will only be a few reasons for virtual learning, including students who opted in for the remainder of the year, students mandated to quarantine due to COVID-19, or students who have a significant documented medical event that will not allow them to attend school for a long duration of time.

Comsewogue School District

Superintendent Jennifer Quinn said that beginning April 6, after spring break, high schoolers will be returning to a normal week. Grades K-6 have been back since September.

“Nothing replaces live instruction,” Quinn said. “The [COVID] numbers are low at this point and we’ve watched from some of the surrounding districts that their numbers are not significantly different than ours. … We want the students to be in school. Live instruction is the best way to learn.”

She added that the district’s teachers and the community as a whole have done “an amazing job during this difficult situation.”

“It’s a hard decision, people are afraid,” Quinn said. “It’s not right for everybody, but the key is this was the plan, and we were working toward this for a long time.”

Comsewogue will still have an option for families to remain virtual.

“One size doesn’t fit all,” said Joe Coniglione, assistant superintendent.

And while it’s still a difficult time, Quinn said that everyone is excited to be going back to five days.

“We’re going to be as safe as we can possibly make it, and we need students to feel that this is their safe place,” she said. “Overall, the kids are suffering. It’s not normal to be home every other day and not being able to see their friends.”

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Marc Greene

By Kimberly Brown

Long Island Music’s Hall of Fame announced Marc Greene as its newest 2020 Educator of Note.

Working for several decades in teaching and supervising music education, the LIMHOF explained how Greene has shown exemplary work and passion throughout his career. 

“It is so very exciting and humbling to be recognized as the 2020 Long Island Music Hall of Fame Educator of Note,” Greene said. “So many of the previous honorees are esteemed music education colleagues and mentors, providing very large footsteps in which to follow and broad shoulders upon which to stand.”

After teaching for a dozen years at middle school and high school levels in upstate, New York, Greene took a job at Newfield High School, where he became the director of choral and theater activities. 

Four years later, he was approached by Cecil Ramsey, former Middle Country Superintendent of Schools, who urged him to become state certified as an educational administer. 

Taking on his new role, he implemented a long-term plan to enhance the Arts Education experience for Middle Country students.

In 10 years, some of the programs he established on Long Island were a string orchestra program — that enrolls over 1,100 students annually — specialized kindergarten music instruction, and a music curriculum that would feature the development of social guitar, keyboard and drumming performance skills for middle and elementary school children. 

After serving his tenure at Middle County, Greene then continued to serve as a chairperson for the Suffolk New York State Council of Administrators of Music Education Honors Chorus.

He also served NYSSMA as an assistant to the Zone 14 Suffolk County representative, as a member of the statewide Curriculum Committee, and as an All-State Voice and Vocal Jazz and Choral adjudicator. 

“Upon my retirement from the public sector in 2013, I immediately joined the faculty of the Ithaca College School of Music, serving as a supervisor of student teachers on Long Island and in the New York metropolitan area,” Greene said. 

While continuing to work with the school districts of Long Island in a multitude of ways, Greene also manages a small voice instruction studio and provides vocal performance, as well as piano accompaniment.

“Long Island truly is a great place to make music, to teach music, and to surround oneself with a cadre of people who truly understand the power of music to embellish the lives of children and adults alike.”

And for all he did for students, not only in Middle Country, but across New York State, the honor came unquestioned.

“The Long Island Music Hall of Fame is very excited to honor such an accomplished and respected educator,” said LIMHOF Education Committee Chairman Tom Needham. “He is one of a small group of music educators who have had such a long-lasting and significant impact on so many music students all over Long Island.”

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File photo by Julianne Mosher

The Middle Country Central School District (MCCSD) has selected four students — Isabella Zimmerman, Centereach High School; Parker McPhillips, Newfield High School; Michael Ramos Cody, Selden Middle School; and Naveed Bayan, Dawnwood Middle School — as its student of the month recipients for January.

“Students who are selected as student of the month have distinguished themselves as individuals who actively emulate our district’s mission in empowering and inspiring all students in Middle Country,” said Superintendent Dr. Roberta Gerold. “It is with great pride that we congratulate Isabella, Parker, Michael,and Naveed for this tremendous achievement. Each of these students have proven themselves worthy of this distinction by maintaining exceptionally high standards in the classroom and community, and keeping busy with their respective extracurriculars — all with a positive attitude.”

Isabella Zimmerman

Isabella Zimmerman, a senior at Centereach High School, is widely recognized as a natural leader and ambitious young woman inside and outside of the classroom. Upon graduation in June, Isabella will have completed no less than seven college level courses while also balancing extracurricular activities. 

Since the 10th grade, Isabella has been an active member of the Tri-M Music Honor Society and currently holds the position of president. In her role, she spearheaded a Thanksgiving food drive, as well as a holiday greeting card drive as a way to give back to the community during challenging times. Isabella, also a scholar athlete, has been a member of the CHS Varsity Cheerleading throughout high school. Simultaneously, Isabella pursues gymnastics through an outside organization and mentors younger gymnasts in her free time. 

In the fall, Isabella plans to study at Utica College and pursue a career in physical therapy.

 

 

Parker McPhillips

Newfield High School senior Parker McPhillips has a highly regarded reputation for his dynamic personality. He is known as a force to be reckoned with. 

His inquisitive nature, continuously making connections and offering insight to inspire further discussion, has earned him a well-deserved Grade Point Average of 93% and a mentoring role in NHS’s environmental club. 

Parker’s enthusiasm for school and life has distinguished him as a role model for his peers and teachers alikwe. Collectively, Newfield’s staff recognize Parker as an extraordinary individual who has the power to change people’s perspective, and in turn, makes the world a better place.

 

 

 

Michael Ramos Cody

Michael Ramos Cody, an eighth grader at Selden Middle School, possesses the qualities of perseverance and determination at a level not often found in middle school students. 

As a result, his academic pursuits include a 99% GPA for quarter one and he is on track to complete quarter two with the same results. Outside the classroom, Michael’s perseverance and determination are also evident. With his interest in engineering, 

Michael educated himself on computer components, bought the materials and successfully built his very own computer. Michael is also very involved with the community library and has previously volunteered his time as a book buddy, art buddy, and LEGO buddy.

 

 

 

Naveed Bayan

 

Dawnwood Middle School eighth grader Naveed Bayan is well-known as a motivated and earnest student. His genuine inner drive to learn has led him to success in his academics with a 98.8% GPA for quarter one. 

Naveed’s constant striving to excel is well known among his teachers. In Algebra, for example, Naveed’s teacher, Ms. Beukelaer, oftentimes finds herself reiterating to Naveed that his work is exemplary, and he does not need to detail as much work as he performs, full well knowing that Naveed will acknowledge her advice, and continue just the same in his relentless pursuit of perfection. 

In the future, Naveed would like to take his strong interest in medicine and become a surgeon. – MCCSD

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Photo courtesy of MCSD

Warmings Hearts and Hands

‘The Mitten Tree’

Unity Drive’s Pre-K/Kindergarten Center in the Middle Country School District warmed more than hearts this holiday season. Inspired by Candace Christiansen’s “The Mitten Tree,” Mrs. Gorwitz and her students organized a drive to collect mittens benefiting those in need through the local organization, Lighthouse Mission.

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Stock photo

Local school districts are still maintaining low COVID-19 numbers, while the rest of Suffolk County is nearing 6% in some areas. According to district leadership, that’s because schools have been constantly evolving their plans to keep students, staff and the community safe.

Centereach High School in the Middle Country School District. The district superintendent is just one of many continuing to keep students safe. Photo by Julianne Mosher

Middle Country school district covers a large jurisdiction, Dr. Roberta Gerold, superintendent of schools, said. In non-COVID times, there are roughly 11,000 students within the district, though now approximately 7,500 are in buildings due to hybrid and remote learning options. The district has only had 102 positive COVID cases since the start of school, a 1.3% infection rate — with 52 of those cases coming from Thanksgiving break.

“We have such strong guidelines we’re containing it, not spreading it,” she said. “We know where [students and staff have] been and who they’ve been with.”

Like all the other districts, students are required to wear a mask at all times, except during mask breaks. Social distancing has been implemented with barriers on desks, and teachers are asked to keep their windows and doors open.

If a student is showing symptoms, they are immediately placed into an isolation room and brought home.

But that barely happens, according to Gerold. “The community is doing a good job because they’re not sending us positive kids,” she said. “We’re not getting a lot of cases in the schools.”

Ronald Masera, president of the Suffolk County School Superintendents Association, said that over the summer, local superintendents began putting together plans to better prepare their districts.

“When the pandemic started, there was a feeling of uncertainty,” he said. “But now what we’ve found is we could place a great deal on social distancing.”

Because they have been implementing and following CDC guidelines, he said they’re not seeing spread within the schools.

“Controlled environment helps keep the community safe,” he said. “Even if we see the community numbers rise, I think the government, politicians, leadership and superintendents know how important keeping schools open is.”

A representative from Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s (D) office agreed, and said the new guidelines released last month are to keep the doors of local schools open.

“We encourage them to not be closed, but to test instead,” they said.

Guidelines now require mass testing in schools in red, orange and yellow micro-cluster zones before they reopen, followed by vigilant symptom and exposure screening conducted daily. Impacted schools can reopen as early as Monday, however students and faculty must be able to provide a negative COVID-19 test result prior to going back to the classroom. New York State will provide rapid test kits for schools wishing to participate.

After a school reopens in a red or orange micro-cluster zone, vigilant symptom and exposure screening must be conducted daily. A quarter of the in-person learning school community — both students and faculty/staff — must be tested per week, and the school should ensure that it provides opportunities to test on school grounds, or otherwise facilitates testing and accepts test results from health care providers.

If the school does not hold a testing event or provide testing on school grounds, test results provided to the school as part of the 25% testing of the population must be received within seven days.

The governor’s representative said that no regions have hit the 9% emergency number, which would close the county again. Schools, however, have flexibility regarding choosing a comfortable closing percentage.

“They can use their own metrics to close down districts or schools as long as those metrics don’t go against the state mandate of 9%,” the representative said. “A lot of things are state law governed. Schools are done by the locals, and we wanted to be within the local district rules.”

The latest number of confirmed and new COVID-19 cases in the Town of Brookhaven, according to the Suffolk County Department of Health Services on Dec. 7 is 17,307, while a school district like Shoreham-Wading River has seen just a total of 43 positive tests for students and teachers/staff as at Dec. 8.

“I would like to thank our parents, staff and students for implementing the required COVID-19 health protocols this year. The daily temperature checks, health screening forms and conversations about washing hands, wearing masks properly and socially distancing have been really effective in keeping or schools open, healthy and safe,” said Superintendent Gerard Poole in an email statement. “The district is fully prepared for a shift to distance learning if a closure is mandated. We have a great distance learning plan and have already shifted this year successfully for a day or two when necessary due to COVOD-19 related school closures.“

File photo of Port Jefferson Superintendent Jessica Schmettan. Photo by Kyle Barr

Port Jefferson Superintendent Jessica Schmettan said that they are hopeful to remain on their current course, but are prepared to pivot their instructional models as directed by the governor’s office.

“Moving forward, our schools will continue to follow the guidance provided at the local, regional and state levels, including any prescribed steps needed should our area become designed a yellow, orange or red zone,” she said. “We are grateful to our students, staff and community for their unwavering support of and adherence to our initiatives. Their collective efforts have helped to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 within our schools and allowed us to keep our buildings open for in-person instruction.”

Marianne Cartisano, superintendent of Miller Place school district, said schools, to date, are the safest places for children to succeed academically, socially and emotionally.

“We are also fortunate to have the acknowledgement of social responsibility in our community, coupled with everyone’s common goal to keep schools open,” she said.

The latest number of confirmed and new COVID-19 cases in the Town of Brookhaven, according to the Suffolk County Department of Health Services on Dec. 7 is 17,307, while a school district like Three Village has seen just a total of 72 positive tests for students and teachers/staff as at Dec. 8.

“Our district continues to follow the guidance of the Department of Health Services and the Centers for Disease Control to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19,” Cheryl Pedisich, Three Village superintendent of schools, said. “We are fully prepared to implement any prescribed measures to keep our schools open, safe and operating in the best interest of all of our students and staff.”

Elwood school district Superintendent Dr. Kenneth Bossert said he agrees with statements made by Cuomo and Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, in a recent joint press conference.

“Governor Cuomo used the words ‘amazing and astonishing’ to describe how low the infection rates are in schools as compared to many of the communities surrounding them,” Bossert said. “We agree that our schools are safe places for students, faculty and staff. The guidelines that have been put in place in collaboration with the Suffolk County Department of Health are designed to keep students and staff safe and school open.”

Bossert said in addition to mask wearing, distancing and appropriate hygiene, it’s important for those who are symptomatic or think they have been exposed to someone positive for COVID-19 to stay home.

“We are so very thankful to our parents and community members for demonstrating an understanding of the role we each play and acting out of an abundance of caution when making decisions about their children,” he said. “We are confident that we can keep students safe in our school buildings — where we know they will enjoy the greatest benefit of our instruction program, socialization with one another, and have positive interactions with their teachers.”

Smithtown school district superintendent, Mark Secaur, said he is planning for several different scenarios, including the potential of COVID testing in schools, or going back to completely remote.

“Based on the relative safety of our students and staff, providing education for those two things has been at odd at times,” he said. “But it’s the balance we have to navigate because of the pandemic.”

“We have proven that schools are safer than the outside community,” Secaur added. “Kids have been amazing. They’re excited to be with their friends again, and the kids have been more resilient than some adults.”

 

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File photo by Julianne Mosher

Schools are staring down the barrel of funding cuts because of the COVID-19 crisis.

While students have been returning to their new normal of hybrid classes, remote learning and plastic barriers between desks, school districts across New York state are concerned about the news surrounding a potential 20% state funding cut.

Elwood Super Ken Bossert, pictured above before the pandemic, said every single school will need to make painful cuts if things don’t go their way. Photo from Heather Mammolito

According to New York State Education Department, the State Division of the Budget has begun withholding 20% of most local aid payments, forcing reductions in some payments to school districts across the state. The reductions in aid, combined with increased costs during pandemic times, could affect not only students, but community members too.  

“All public schools throughout New York state will have to make deep and painful cuts if federal assistance in the form of school aid is not secured,” said Ken Bossert, superintendent of Elwood school district. “The governor’s proposal of reducing aid by 20% will impact districts that rely heavily on aid in a devastating way. Not only will programs and staffing be redacted, the gap between the ‘haves and the have-nots’ will widen.”

Mark Secaur, superintendent of Smithtown school district, noted that during the height of the pandemic in New York last spring, the state adopted a budget that contained three review periods, in which local aid distributions might be reduced on a rolling basis, based on the revenues the state received. 

“On August 18, districts throughout New York state received a state aid payment for the 2019-2020 school year that withheld 20% of the expected payment,” he said. “Also included was a note that all future payments would be reduced by 20% in the absence of federal relief.”

Secaur added that for Smithtown, this equates to a potential loss of upward of $9 million in state aid. 

“When developing our 2020-2021 school budget, the district took into consideration the potential loss of state aid and made adjustments,” he said. “However, these losses, coupled with the unfunded expenditures required for the safe return of students, will likely force the district to significantly utilize the fund balance and reserves to balance the budget.”

In addition, the budget doesn’t cover the costs that are protecting children returning to their classrooms. 

“Cleaning supplies, dividers for rooms … the cost is close to $4 million,” said Roberta Gerold, superintendent of Middle Country school district.

That sum didn’t include the cost to keeping the schools operational — even when students weren’t in them when the pandemic hit. 

“There was still a cost to keep the schools running,” Gerold added. “It was a rough couple of months.”

Gerard Poole, superintendent of Shoreham-Wading River school district, agreed.

“In a time when students need more, we won’t be able to provide that,” he said. 

While Poole and his peers are trying to stay optimistic, and are pleased to have students back, he wonders if it will be sustainable. “It’s an uncertain time — it won’t be the easiest thing for districts to put a budget together this year,” he said. “We just have to take it day by day.”

“We’re trying to plan for a budget without knowing what’s going to happen.”

— Roberta Gerold

While each district is different on the Island, they can all agree that continuing to plan during an uncertain time is very difficult. 

“We’re trying to plan for a budget without knowing what’s going to happen,” Gerold said. “If we have the info, we can figure that out. … It’s a scary time for sure.”

Miller Place school district declined to comment but did release a letter Sept. 3 penned to elected officials, asking for their support.

“As our elected officials we implore you act quickly to stop any and all federal and state reductions regarding payments to New York state school districts,” the letter said. “As district leaders we remain focused on the mission of returning students to our classrooms, and providing them with the social, emotional and academic supports they need in order to achieve their 2020-21 instructional goals.”

The letter continued, “Please recognize any reductions in federal or state aid payments would dramatically reduce our ability to sustain our district’s fiscal health, as well as maintain the support needed to ensure our students and staff physical health.”

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Wendol received a proclamation from State Sen. Ken LaValle, from left, Kevin Verbesey, Director of the Suffolk Cooperative Library System, Edward Wendol, Founding Director of Comsewogue Public Library Richard Lusak, Ken LaValle’s aid Jeff Kito; Comsewogue library director Debbie Engelhardt. Photos by Debbie Engelhardt

For Ed Wendol, of Port Jefferson Station, time is not marked in years, but in decades.

Ed Wendol has spent 48 years on the Comsewogue Public Library board of trustees. Photo by Debbie Engelhardt

How long was he a teacher in the Middle Country school district? Nearly three decades. How long was he on the Comsewogue Public Library board? Two years shy of five decades. 

On his last day on the library board, the institution’s administration and a few lifelong friends held a short reception for Wendol to celebrate him serving his community, and Suffolk libraries, for year after year after year.

Now Wendol, 78, is planning to move down to Florida to be closer to his family. He, like so many other Long Islanders who are part of the exodus down to places like the Sunshine State or North Carolina is doing it with a heavy heart, knowing he’s moving from the place he has lived in and cared for over the past 50 years.

“What I’m particularly proud of, of being a trustee of the Comsewogue library, is that I’ve been elected to that position over the years,” Wendol said. “The public to me is important to recognize what we’ve been trying to accomplish with the library, and to me it’s the cultural center of the Comsewogue community.”

He is a past winner of TBR News Media’s Person of the Year, in 2003, for his work in Civics, specifically the Port Jefferson Station/Terryville Civic Association when he vehemently opposed the closure of the DMV location in PJS. That DMV still stands today, partially thanks to his activism. Alongside his work in the civic, he has been an active member of the Polish-American Independent Club in PJS. 

It’s rare for people to have such an immediate reaction to hearing about a community member simply taking the well-worn trek to sunnier pastures, but Wendol’s work with libraries goes well above and beyond what’s normally expected with a library board trustee.

Richard Lusak, of Port Jefferson, was Comsewogue library’s first director and stayed in the position from 1966 to 2003. He saw Wendol as one of the most instrumental people for the library’s longtime success. 

When the library first came into being back in 1966, it was conceived to serve the residents of the school district, forming a five-member library board setting up in a rented 1,000-square-foot trailer a year later. Wendol had moved to the area from Queens in 1967, learning to live in a near-rural place like PJS where the sound of crickets kept city slickers like him up at night. He had long been a lover of libraries and books, he himself being an English teacher. Shortly after the Comsewogue library’s creation there was turnover on the library board, and that’s when Wendol stepped forward, being elected to the board in short order in 1972.

Throughout the years, Lusak said the venerable board member became a beacon for what a trustee could be, almost epitomizing everything the library trustee handbook — yes, it is a real book — stood for. While Wendol was working full time, he took night classes and gained a degree in library science, for what he described as wanting to be more knowledgeable and more helpful in the month-to-month decision-making process.

“He was instrumental in keeping everything on an even plane,” Lusak said. “He was a role model for the other board members.”

Current library director Debbie Engelhardt said that the past eight years in her position have been effective and “gratifying” thanks to Wendol’s steady presence and positive attitude.

“Ed understands well and is a true model of excellence in trusteeship,” she said. “Ed is steadfast, a voice of reason and has vast experience. He speaks his mind and is also a great listener. Ed’s positive influence helps us to keep moving forward. The healthy board dynamic Ed helped shape will remain.”

In his time on the library board, he also came to be recognized regionally for his service. He has several times been elected to the Suffolk Cooperative Library System board of trustees, helping oversee all libraries in the Town of Brookhaven. He has also previously served as that board’s president. Doing that he said his priority was to make all the libraries from Emma S. Clark Memorial Library in Setauket to Longwood Public Library come together to benefit the whole in their shared mission.

“Ed Wendol has been, for 48 years, the model of what a library trustee and public servant should be,” said Kevin Verbesey, SCLS director. “Ed always understood the critical role that a public library plays in the educational, intellectual and cultural life of a community. He was always informed, polite, active and firm in his support for and belief in libraries. Everyone in Suffolk County who cares about public libraries owes a debt of gratitude to Ed Wendol.”

Along with being active in Port Jefferson Station, for 27 years he was an English teacher in the Middle Country school district. In 2019, Wendol came across a host of copies of Newfield High School’s newspaper, The Quadrangle, sitting in his attic. The dates ran from 1970 to 1976, when he was the newspaper club’s adviser. The ex-Middle Country teacher donated his large collection of papers to the Middle Country Public Library for it all to be digitized.

It’s been a long ride for Wendol, and looking back from how the Comsewogue library progressed, first from its rented trailer location and now into a center where he loves to note that it serves everyone from preschool age all the way up to senior citizen. Libraries now are touchstones for local events, for helping people navigate an increasingly digital world, and all the while still giving people access to his beloved books. Next on the libraries’ plates, he said, is to emphasize culture, and offer people more real-world experiences on some kind of excursion, even if it takes them away from a library’s brick-and-mortar location.

“I think it was a fabulous thing we were able to accomplish,” Wendol said. “I think the aspect of people coming into the library, and wanting to come into the library … I’m happy to say with Debbie Engelhardt and my fellow trustees on the board, we are open.”

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