Inside Islip Schools

On the beautiful summer night of June 26, Islip High School’s 99th commencement took place, as the graduating seniors of the Class of 2024 walked on to the school’s athletic field in proud purple and white, ready to be honored for a landmark education achievement. After an opening processional from the Islip High School Graduation Band, directed by Steve Campanella, senior Daniel Rubinson performed a stellar rendition of “The Star-Spangled Banner,” while the vocal septet of Parker Barry, Lucas Bohr, Jessica Cruz, Skylar Greene, Rebecca Leo Leela Lopez and Rubinson sang “Happiness” from “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown.” Student Union President Emily Lewis and Vice President Emma Cirulnik served as commencement emcees. The day’s other speakers included Board of Education trustee Paul Austin, Principal Dr. Lara Gonzalez, salutatorian Erica De Lapi, valedictorian Jaci Narducci and Superintendent Dr. Dennis O’Hara. After receiving their diplomas from members of the Board, the new graduates turned the tassels on their caps before tossing them to the skies, ready to celebrate with their families and walk into a bright future.

Commack Road Elementary School held its 24th annual Flag Day ceremony on a sunny June 14, reinforcing the community’s patriotic commitment. After local Scouts and American Legion Rusy-Bohm Post 411 members led the Flag Day parade past the bus loop’s Honor Garden of Flags, Principal Jacqueline Beckmann welcomed the smiling students and parents, decked out in red, white and blue and waving American flags. The family of late Islip firefighter Billy Moon then joined American Legion Rusy-Bohm Post 411 2nd Vice Commander Tom Stryjewski and Sergeant-at-Arms Peter Militello for the raising of the flag. Fifth graders Ayden Diaz, Jaxon Gerena, Alexa Gonzalez, Julia Sanchez and Matthew Vale joined teacher Dr. Chris Sclafani for an explanation of the Pledge of Allegiance, while third graders and the school’s American Sign Language Club demonstrated the pledge in American Sign Language. Throughout, the CRES school’s band and vocal NYSSMA students performed an array of stirring patriotic music, including “America the Beautiful, “God Bless America,” “My Country ‘Tis of Thee” and “You’re a Grand Old Flag.” Student essay awards were presented to second-grade winner Caila Lawrence, third grade winner Karla Martinez, fourth grade winner Adoniah Chlystun, fifth grade winner Makenzy Covelli, academic award winners Covelli and Maryam Raza, and music award winner Na’ilah Farrell.

The district recognized a remarkable array of dedicated students and staff members at its latest Night of Champions ceremony, held during the June 10 Board of Education meeting. Those honored included Islip High School’s terrific spring athletes, seniors moving on to vocational careers and dedicating themselves to military service, and retiring teachers and staff who have put in decades of service to the students and the community of Islip.

Athletic Director John Sparacio and several of his coaches began the night with a presentation of sports recognitions for the spring 2024 season to high school student-athletes including boys spring track athletes Matthew Breslin (All-County) and Josiah Patterson (All-County); boys lacrosse players Jake DeGennaro (All-County Honorable Mention), Erik Heimlich (All-County) and Michael Vitale (All-County); girls spring track athletes Imani Hood (All-League), Sabrina Frazer (All-County) and Katalina Villalba (All-County); boys tennis players James Eifert (All-County), Anthony Pepe (All-County), Jacob Schifter (All-County) and Tyler Simonetti (All-County); and Unified basketball team members Chris Acevedo, Maximus Burns, Devon Carter, Claire Constantino, Chase Hansen, Jossue Martinez Corea, Giselle Martinez Lopez, Godwin Ojorketi, Mora Peterson, Alex Ruiz, Vincent Tyre, Andrew Wimmers, Sadie Wimmers and Donovan Zecchini. Next, seniors entering vocational careers were recognized, including Tyler Bell (heavy machine operation), Naomi Bobal (cosmetology), Alyssa Cuellar (BOCES nursing), Dominique DiJulio (cosmetology), Luis Fuentes Velasquez (flight school), Eli Gonzalez (HVAC) and Nicholas Sukhu (HVAC). DiJulio was also honored for her achievement as the winner of the Nassau/Suffolk Cosmetology Teachers Association annual competition. Six seniors were recognized for their decision to join military service, including Alexander Descalso (U.S. Marine Corps), Jacob Gordon-Lopez (U.S. Air Force), Alexander Gutierrez Santos (U.S. Army), David Hager (U.S. Marine Corps), Maxwell Haynes (U.S. Air Force) and Gavin Ullman (U.S. Marine Corps).

Nine admired retirees were honored for their many years of dedicated service to the district’s students and community, introduced by Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources, Administrative Services and Operations Donna Brower. Those recognized were Wing Elementary School teacher Andrea Lopienski and school monitor Diane Grossman; Commack Road Elementary School teacher Susan Davis; Islip Middle School teachers Valerie Gallagher and Gina Pagliaro, and account clerk Susan Canale; Islip High School teachers Christopher Clehane and Susan Melaniff, and school monitor Christine Rottmund.

Islip Middle School seventh and eighth graders were inducted into the brand-new Junior Tri-M Music Honor Society during a June 4 ceremony. Students were selected based on their participation in music ensembles, academic achievement and a teacher nomination to support their leadership, service and character. In total, 36 students were accepted. Five Tri-M student leaders – President Tillie Ancipink, Vice President Mia Olivares, Treasurer Ella Fishbein, Secretary Elizabeth Balsamo and Historian Donna Mandamiento – were also announced that evening, following a vote by their peers. The guest speaker was senior Lucas Bohr, a co-president of the Islip High School chapter of Tri-M.

Seniors Carley Mullins and Jared Spahn were recently named Islip High School’s nominees for the 2024 Butch Dellecave Award. Mullins, Islip Athletic Director John Sparacio and coaches Mariah Cullen and Taryn Ohlmiller attended the annual Dellecave Award brunch ceremony on June 9, held at Villa Lombardi’s in Holbrook.

Five days before graduation, Islip High School’s Class of 2024 enjoyed the traditional return walk at Wing Elementary School, the building where most of them began their Islip educational careers. During the June 21 event, the high schoolers donned their purple and white graduation caps and gowns to stroll through the Wing hallways and greet assembled kindergartners and first graders as well their own former teachers.

Islip High School’s Athletes Helping Athletes club joined forces with the school’s varsity baseball team on June 8, traveling to the League of YES at the Brookhaven Ampitheater at Bald Hill to play baseball with children with special needs. Students participating included Dylan Broschart. Sebastian Chery, Allimaro Lacroix, Carver Mason, Owen MacManus, Gregory McSweeney, Dylan Ruland and Jon Secor.

Islip’s elementary coding teams – Commack Road Elementary School’s H@ckCR3s and Maud S. Sherwood Elementary School’s Hackaneers – recently competed in the kidOYO Upper Elementary Division Hackathon at Mineola Middle School, persevering through a three-hour coding challenge against schools all across Long Island. Both teams consisted of eight students each. All team members needed to have knowledge of Hatch, a coding language based on SCRATCH, as well as Sprite Editor. Commack Road’s Hackathon team was coached by STEAM teacher Beth Fazio and technology teacher assistant Fred Stroh, while Sherwood’s Hackathon team was coached by STEAM teachers Kenneth Bailey and Megan Savold and technology teacher assistant Rob Going.

Eighty of Islip High School’s graduating seniors took to the Nissequogue River on June 5 for their senior physical education kayak/canoe field trip, led by Athletic Director John Sparacio and the high school’s five PE teachers. The group shared a bagel breakfast while participating in a safety course before boarding the buses. Once on the river, the students and staff fastened their life jackets and paddled from the “Bluff to the Bull” for 5.5 beautiful miles. After docking, they headed back to the high school quad for a pizza lunch and desserts.

Location: Administration Building - 215 Main Street, Islip, NY 11751
Phone: (631) 650-8200