Rocky Point Soaring

This is the official e-newsletter for the Rocky Point Union Free School District.

The Rocky Point School District is again poised for a successful year, and the past few months have been evidence of that. Our Strategic Plan leaders have been meeting on a regular basis to plan and define the goals of core focus areas and High School students are consistent in Student Government projects, athletic successes, STEAM research and more. Middle School scholars have been lauded with National Honor Society status; sixth graders and JAE students have been meeting with School Resource Officer Karl Allison for presentations on bullying, internet safety and the hazards of vaping. Our youngest students at FJC are excelling at reading, math and science skills and our recent STEAM Exposition was a success. These are just a few of the amazing things happening in our schools. We also have had kindness initiatives, homecoming festivities, patriotic remembrances, musical tributes and stage productions throughout our buildings.

Dozens of staff members and student leaders continue to plan and define the goals and target completion dates of specific actions in four core focus areas: Academic Supports, Community Engagement, Student-Centered Learning, and Wellness and Climate. We are proud to continue on a path of excellence with educational opportunities that encourage critical thinking, problem-solving and collaboration, resulting in exceptional places for learning.

Rocky Point School District’s STEAM Connections Exposition was held on Nov. 7. Students and families showed up for some fun challenges and tested their STEAM skills while learning about educational opportunities and career pathways in science, technology, engineering math and the arts. The event featured a panel discussion of professionals, educators and college students sharing their insights and experience in STEAM fields.

Members of High School and Middle School clubs and STEM classes were eager to share what is interesting about their specific club or class. Representatives from local organizations, including Atlantic Marine Conservation Society, Cornell Cooperative Extension, the Long Island Aquarium, Stony Brook University's Center for Frontiers in Nuclear Science and the Tesla Science Center, among others, were also on hand to share their missions.

Event goers could also listen to a panel discussion on STEAM Futures with representatives from prominent organizations including Brookhaven National Laboratory, New York Marine Rescue Center, Simons STEM Scholars Program, Stony Brook University Student Meteorology Club, and We Connect the Dots.

“The event was an opportunity for students and families to interact with lots of fun technology including virtual reality headsets, drones and 3D printers, while learning about careers in biotechnology, alternate energy, marine research, manufacturing and much more,” District Director of Math, Science and Technology Dr. Kim Christian said. “Attendees participated in hands-on activities, learned about college and career opportunities, internships and volunteer options while also checking out the amazing STEM opportunities Rocky Point students are engaged in.”

All four schools honored local veterans with special ceremonies, guests, poems, songs, decorated bulletin boards and more. Schools were decorated with American flags and stars. Local heroes and members of Rocky Point’s VFW Post 6249 were honored for their service and bravery. The Rocky Point School community again is grateful for all the veterans who attended the school events for defending and upholding the rights and freedoms of our nation.

Rocky Point High School senior Matteo Gravinese has been named a Semifinalist in the 2025 National Merit Scholarship Program and seniors Kaylie Michael, Allyson Opitz and Zen Pinkenburg have achieved the honor of Commended Students.

The Semifinalist accolade recognizes Matteo as one of the nation’s most academically talented high school seniors, providing him with the opportunity to compete for one of the National Merit Scholarships to be awarded next spring. Matteo also earned a perfect score on the ACT.

Kaylie, Allyson and Zen have each been recognized for the exceptional academic promise demonstrated on their outstanding performance on the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test.

The four students are very involved in all aspects of their high school careers and recognize that this achievement is vital to the advancement of educational excellence.

“We are pleased to highlight these students for their commitment to excellence,” said Principal James Moeller. “This achievement indicates their potential for academic success.”

When Rocky Point School District’s family and consumer science teacher Lauren Verderosa tasked her Child Development class with a project, she worked to figure out the logistics of sharing the results with others.

That’s when junior Caitlin Boehringer had an idea.

Caitlin’s mom, Cara Boehringer, is a kindergarten teacher at Northwest Elementary School in Amityville, and Caitlin knew she would love the idea of cross-grade work between her students and Mrs. Verderosa’s.

The 30 juniors and seniors in Mrs. Verderosa’s class worked in pairs and wrote and illustrated stories featuring kindness and sharing themes, cute animals and more. “Bill and the Brave Boy Bugs,” “Farmer Joe’s Bog Surprise,” “Goldie and Friends” and “The Journey of Snuggles” were just some of the creative projects they shared with kindergartners during a Zoom call on Nov. 4.

“It was a great activity for the students as they not only created something tangible for the young students, but they also gained skills in collaboration, public speaking and patience, all useful if they plan to work with children in their careers,” Mrs. Verderosa said.

Rocky Point High School’s Math Honor Society and Science Honor Society and Math Team took a field trip to Stony Brook University to check out potential careers in math, science and technology as well as get a glimpse into what the college experience may look like. Teachers Mrs. Janece Alfredson and Ms. Victoria Fabrizio organized the visit.

During tours of the Center of Excellence Wireless and Informational Technology and The Advanced Energy Center, students met with scientists, engineers and Ph.D. students who are working toward their goals of a better future. The students had a very informative visit, according to Mrs. Alfredson, many commenting on learning about higher education and career paths that they may want to pursue and how witnessing college students doing complex experiments made them excited and hopeful for the future.

Rocky Point High School’s transitional skills class paired with SERC, which kindly donated bracelets to sell in hopes of purchasing a cash register for the planned school store.

“Our slogan was to promote positive vibes and to be kind to ourselves and others,” teacher Jessica Gentile said.

The students made and distributed flyers and came up with positive quotes. Student Isabel Reyes created a life-size painting where students and staff were able to be the "I" in kind. The students sold 100 bracelets and hope to sell more in the future.

Special thanks to Mrs. Calamita and Ms. Kyriakakis who helped make the event a success!

Congratulations to 51 Rocky Point Middle School students who were inducted into the National Junior Honor Society. The eighth graders were inducted based on scholarship, character, service, leadership and citizenship. Under the leadership of adviser Mrs. Dawn Callahan, these students are poised to make an impact for themselves, the community and the world!

The students are Alexis Angelo, John Bellport, Cora Bernier, Leigha Blandi, Lilianna Bonacasa, Vanesa Coniglione, Samantha Cooper, Brooke Curran-Badamo, Gabrielle Damiano, Madelyn Danko, Hannah Danseglio, Madelyn DeRosa, Ryan DeWitt, Sena Donnelly, Ella Garrett, Leena Gualbert, Jason Haag, Molly Hanley, Marjorie Hanna, Abigail Hoffman, Ellie Jackson, Brianna Jacobsen, Noah Lopez, Jay MacCarthy, Lucas MacCarthy, Alice Mahler, Kirsten Mahler, Chace Mangino, Aubrey Martino, Marah Palank, Sarah Palmese, Luke Persen, Logan Poli, Elyanis Ramirez Jimenez, Lyla Ricci, Luke Rodriguez, Emily Rothberg, Scarlett Rogers, Evangeline Sanchez-Andino, Alicia Santos, Ava Sciotto, Artem Shulga, Cayden Singh, Anya Sosa, Casey Stengel, Shelby Tappin, John Tringone, Holden Ward, Rebecca Watkis, Kylie Weinfeld and Ethan Worksman.

Rocky Point Middle school math teacher Mrs. Kathi Modine was presented with an Honorary Membership Award at the induction ceremony.

As educators are encouraged to make and teach local historical connections in the fourth grade social studies curriculum, Joseph A. Edgar Intermediate School students are learning to make these connections through field trips to the Hallock Homestead, just minutes away from the school and maintained by the Rocky Point Historical Society. Fourth grade students took a personal tour with an experienced docent through Rocky Point’s oldest standing house, which was listed in the New York and National registers in 2013.

JAE Assistant Principal Benjamin Paquette and teachers Pat Alberti, Mara Lopez and Theresa O’Brien met with Historical Society members last year to tour the house and frame the field trips that took place in mid-October. This project was spearheaded by Ken Krapf, a retired JAE teacher and Rocky Point Historical Society board member.

Mr. Paquette and Principal Mrs. Linda Greening are grateful for the working relationship with the Historical Society, and both look forward to making this an annual JAE tradition.

Joseph A. Edgar Intermediate School fourth graders Sophia Byrnes, Cynthia Cruz, Lillianne Degtyarev, Antonella Diaz, Brielle Izzo, Connor Koutsoftas, Sawyer Koutsoftas, Lindsey Lange, Ella Pizzo, Ella Polzella and Benjamin Rothberg were selected to participate in the Suffolk County Music Educators’ Association PEAK Parents, Educators and Kids Festival, held at Northport High School on Oct. 26.

“We are very proud of the students selected to participate at the festival,” said Craig Knapp, Rocky Point Music Department chairperson and music teacher at JAE. “Their accomplishments are to be acknowledged. It is a high distinction to be accepted into this festival along with many fine student musicians from across Suffolk County.”

Email: info@rockypointschools.org
Website: http://www.rockypointufsd.org
Location: Rocky Point Central School District, 90 Rocky Point-Yaphank Road, Rocky Point, NY, 11778
Phone: 631.744.1600