http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us Copyright 2013 Syntax Communications In an effort to increase awareness of various food allergies and the importance of leading a healthy lifestyle, Babylon Elementary School celebrated Food Allergy Awareness Week this May. During the week, the students learned about these health-related topics through literacy-based activities, including sharing poems that contained information regarding healthy choices and the increasing need for global awareness of food allergies. In addition, a different healthy food theme was celebrated each day of the week, including Wear the Color of Your Favorite Fruit or Vegetable Day, Creative Homemade Snack Day, and even a poster contest that called for students to draw a picture combining their favorite fruit and vegetable in order to create a fun and new food item. To drive home the message about the importance of eating a balanced meal, the highly popular Super Sprowtz puppet show and performing group visited the school. The assembly introduced students to a colorful and healthy cast of characters, including Colby Carrot, Erica Eggplant and Suzy Sweetpea. Throughout the show, the puppets explained the nutritional and developmental benefits of the vegetables highlighted and encouraged the students to become advocates for eating healthy. http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=10921 Sun, 19 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT Out of the hundreds of submissions countywide, Babylon Memorial Grade School sixth-grader Sydney Altbacker was named a first-place winner in this year’s Suffolk Reading Council Creative Writing Contest for her prose. Sydney’s submission was a historical fiction story set during WWII. As a first-place winner, Sydney will be honored at an awards celebration in June. At that time she will receive a free copy of the Suffolk Reading Council’s literary journal, featuring her published entry. http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=10836 Fri, 17 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT Babylon Junior High School students had the chance to perform a qualitative and quantitative analysis of organisms found in Argyle Lake as part of their research studies in the school’s Foundations of Science 7 class. Working in small groups and as a whole class, the students completed a three-week unit that focused on measuring the biodiversity of the lake. The unit of study both implemented the newly released Next Generation Science Standards and incorporated Common Core reading and math skills. In class, the students created leaf packets, which were comprised of nylon mesh bags full of dried leaves. In follow-up classes, the students placed these packs in the lake, where they acted as habitats for organisms. After several days, the students retrieved their packs and began investigating the kinds of organisms found within them. Using keys to identify organisms and supplemental resources such as readings, diagrams and sorting cards, the students grouped and classified the organisms and described their interactions with the abiotic and biotic environment before assessing the current state of Argyle Lake’s biodiversity. “This was a challenging but fun unit,” said teacher Mary Beth Schappert. “The field testing technique that we are using – the placement of leaf packs at the bottom of the lake – is new to field biologists and ecologists. It gained popularity last year when scientists used leaf packs to study the effects of the transoceanic highway corridor construction in South America on freshwater rivers and streams. The goal of the lesson is to teach the students about the importance of local biodiversity issues and also promote enthusiasm for science research.” http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=10835 Wed, 15 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT Students Collect Thousands of Water Bottles and Help Create Outdoor Arts Pavilion As part of the grade level’s compact curriculum, and with an eye towards 21st- century learning skills, Babylon Memorial Grade School fifth-graders from Rayna Zwerlein’s and Chris Tordy’s classes recently received an enriching lesson on the environment and the importance of recycling. Working with Brooklyn-based architecture firm Studio KCA, the students helped to create part of an outdoor pavilion made of 53,780 plastic bottles, the number of water bottles disposed of each hour in New York City. Out of the 200 designers who submitted proposals, Studio KCA was chosen to create this art pavilion on Governors Island based on their design/concept submission to the City of Dreams Competition, sponsored by the American Institute of Architects New York, the Committee for Emerging New York Architects, the Structural Engineers Association and the not-for-profit Arts Organization. The finished project, which will be approximately 40 feet by 18 feet by 15 feet and include the fifth-graders’ handiwork, will serve as the backdrop for this year’s summer arts events at Governors Island. After collecting more than 4,000 bottles, the two classes helped bring the firm’s “Head in the Clouds” pavilion design to life. Using mesh wire and netting, the students worked with the architects to weave in the recyclable materials and add blue-colored water for accents where appropriate. “This project served as a very visual reminder about the importance of helping the environment, in particular recycling,” stated Ms. Zwerlein, whose son, a former Babylon Memorial student, is a member of the firm. “With our compact curriculum approach to teaching,” she continued, “we are always looking for ways to provide enrichment to our students, and with our 21st-century learning standards, a great deal of attention is paid toward learning collaboratively. This project provided both of those educational benefits.” As a special thank-you for all of their hard work, students will receive a reusable filter water bottle. http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=10834 Tue, 14 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT Sixteen Babylon High School students accompanied by family and consumer sciences teachers Ms. Lisa Brush and Ms. Jenna Cucci volunteered their time at Commack High School during the Special Olympics Spring Games North. The students were paired with athletes and provided companionship, guidance, and support to their team. The athletes participated in a variety of organized athletic events throughout the day. It was a special time for everyone involved and several of the students formed memorable bonds with the athletes they worked with. This field trip experience was organized through the Babylon Leo Club, part of Lion’s Club International, which Ms. Brush and Ms. Cucci advise. We extend our thanks to the Babylon Lions Club for generously providing transportation and giving Babylon high school students the opportunity to be a part of this inspirational day As noted on the Special Olympics website List of students who attended trip: Erica Baroncelli, Julie Gentilin, Monica Jenkins, Kerry Glenday, Shannon Going, Fernando Vazquez, Patrick Delaney, Joe Savastano, Heather Puleo, Annelise Slack, Sean Reis, Kenneth Rende, Alex Zamet, Drew Christensen, Adam Gumbardo, Trevor McGetrick. http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=10771 Mon, 13 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT Please be advised that Flags must be flown at half-staff on the fifteenth day of May, Peace Officer Memorial Day. Effective: Beginning of Business, Wednesday, May 15, 2013 Return to Full Staff: Sunset, Wednesday, May 15, 2013 http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=10749 Sun, 12 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT As part of their unit on physics and in celebration of Earth Day, Babylon Memorial Grade School sixth-graders worked with their science teachers Heather Hosek and Eric Solnick to design and engineer solar energy racecars. Working in groups, the students used the scientific skills learned in class and their knowledge of photovoltaic cells to construct their cars, which they finished by decorating with recycled paper. In late April, the groups tested their completed projects on school grounds. During the races, the students recorded, graphed and compared their speeds according to the angle at which they had placed their solar panel. Notable correlations were made between these two factors, and the class plans to retest the cars in June to observe how the different angle of the sun will affect the vehicles’ travel speeds. “This lab taught students the importance of keeping our planet clean by reducing pollution and provided them with an opportunity to observe renewable energy at work,” stated Mrs. Hosek. http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=10607 Thu, 09 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT Extending classroom lessons on the importance of developing a lifelong love of reading, Babylon Elementary School students participated in a “Once Upon a Time…Read Happily Ever After” themed Parents as Reading Partners program this April. With a schoolwide goal of reading 10,000 books, the students were encouraged to read during free times and nightly with their families over the course of the three-week program. Their weekly progress was charted on a Rapunzel-themed display at the school. Throughout the program, special community and school district visitors read to the students in their classrooms. Students also had the chance to visit the PTA book fair and attend schoolwide events, such as a ballet presentation of “Snow White” and National Marionette showing of “Peter and the Wolf.” Additionally, first-grade students in Leah Weissinger's class completed a reader’s theater production they called “Fairy Tale Party,” and each Friday the entire school came to school dressed based on a different PARP theme day. http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=10608 Thu, 09 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT As a complement to their classroom lessons, Babylon High School students enrolled in the school’s Spanish 4 and advanced Spanish courses, which are taught by Laura Jayne and Marianne Shaw, had the chance to learn firsthand about the music and dances of the country they study during a recent in-class program. With the help of a local dance instructor, the students learned how to do the salsa, merengue, bachata and tango. “Students reported that they never thought they could do these dances, but they did and they loved every minute of it,” commented Babylon Director of World Languages Michelle Scharff. “It was a wonderful way to bring the Hispanic culture to the classroom.” http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=10609 Thu, 09 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT Governor Andrew M. Cuomo has directed that flags on state government buildings be flown at half-staff Thursday, May 9t, 2013 in honor of a Warwick Marine who died in Farah Province, Afghanistan on May 4, 2013. Staff Sgt. Eric D. Christian died while conducting combat operations. He was assigned to the 2nd Marine Special Operations Battalion based at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. "I join with all New Yorkers in mourning the loss of Staff Sgt. Christian," Governor Cuomo said. "I extend my deepest sympathy to his family, his friends and his fellow Marines. We will honor his service and sacrifice and his dedication to our nation." Governor Cuomo has directed that the flags on all state buildings be lowered to half-staff in honor of and in tribute to our state's service members and those stationed in New York who are killed in action or die in a combat zone. Effective: Beginning of Business, Thursday, May 9, 2013 Return to Full Staff: Sunset, Thursday, May 9, 2013 http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=10626 Wed, 08 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT Governor Andrew M. Cuomo has directed that flags on state government buildings be flown at half-staff on Friday, May 10, 2013 in honor of a Meridian soldier who died in Maiwand, Afghanistan on May 4, 2013. Army Staff Sgt. Francis G. Phillips IV died of wounds sustained when his vehicle was attacked by an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion 36th Infantry Regiment 1st Brigade Combat Team of the 1st Armored Division based at Fort Bliss, Texas. "Along with all New Yorkers, I mourn the death of Staff Sgt. Phillips and I extend my deepest sympathy and condolences to his friends, family and fellow soldiers," Governor Cuomo said. "We will honor his sacrifice and his dedication to our great nation." Governor Cuomo has directed that the flags on all state buildings be lowered to half-staff in honor of and in tribute to our state's service members and those stationed in New York who are killed in action or die in a combat zone. Effective: Beginning of Business, Friday, May 10, 2013 Return to Full Staff: Sunset, Friday, May 10, 2013 http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=10625 Tue, 07 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT Babylon Elementary School students marked this year’s Earth Day and Arbor Day with a variety of classroom and grade-level projects, each focused on environmentally friendly topics. To reinforce the message, decorative posters were hung throughout the school reminding the students and staff about the importance of recycling and the ways in which they can help to reduce their carbon footprint. In what has become a Babylon tradition, the entire first grade also received sapling evergreen trees from the Babylon Rotary Club to plant in their own yards. Following the distribution of the trees, Suffolk County Legislator and Rotary Club Committee Chairman Wayne R. Horsley visited the school to speak with the students about the importance of the tree-planting project. During his visit, Mr. Horsley presented the students with a commemorative certificate and administered an oath to the students, who promised to nurture their trees and help them grow big and strong. http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=10561 Sun, 05 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT Governor Andrew M. Cuomo has directed that flags on state government buildings be flown at half-staff on Tuesday, April 30, 2013 in honor of two Fort Drum soldiers who died in Pul-E- Alam, Afghanistan on April 23. Captain Aaron Blanchard, of Selah, Washington and 1st Lt. Robert J. Hess, of Fairfax, Virginia died of wounds suffered from enemy indirect fire. The two men were assigned to the 2nd Aviation Battalion of the 10th Mountain Division's 10th Combat Aviation Brigade. "I join with all New Yorkers in mourning the loss of Captain Blanchard and Lieutenant Hess, and I send my deepest sympathies to their family, friends, and fellow soldiers," Governor Cuomo said. "We will honor the service of these Fort Drum soldiers and we will be forever grateful for their dedication to duty and to our nation." Governor Cuomo has directed that the flags on all state buildings be lowered to half-staff in honor of and in tribute to our state's service members and those stationed in New York who are killed in action or die in a combat zone. Effective: Beginning of Business, Tuesday, April 30, 2013 Return to Full Staff: Sunset, Tuesday, April 30, 2013 http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=10457 Sun, 28 Apr 2013 00:00:00 GMT Babylon Memorial Grade School’s PTA raised $650 for First Book, a nonprofit organization that provides access to new books for children in need. According to FirstBook.org, First Book has distributed more than 100 million books and educational resources to programs and schools serving children from low-income families throughout the United States and Canada, and Babylon’s generous donation helped the organization purchase over 200 new books for distribution. The funds raised by Babylon Memorial Grade School will provide students in need with access to high-quality books that otherwise would not be available to them. Through First Book, educators can create enriched learning experiences for their students, and the children can enjoy an ongoing supply of wonderful new books. On April 11, Babylon PTA President Heather Tenety and Babylon PARP chairman Mike Tricker were on hand at Babylon Memorial Grade School to present the $650 check to First Book of Long Island co-founder Shawn Vogel. http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=10266 Tue, 16 Apr 2013 00:00:00 GMT Governor Andrew M. Cuomo has directed that flags on state government buildings be flown at half-staff on Wednesday, April 17, 2013 in honor of the victims of the marathon bombing in Boston, MA. "I join with my fellow New Yorkers and Americans in mourning the loss of the innocent lives that were taken in yesterday’s terrorist attack at the Boston Marathon,” Governor Cuomo said. “I extend my deepest sympathy to the family and friends of the victims, as well as the residents of Boston.” Effective: Beginning of Business, Wednesday, April 17, 2013 Return to Full Staff: Sunset, Wednesday, April 17, 2013 http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=10254 Mon, 15 Apr 2013 00:00:00 GMT Students from Babylon Memorial Grade School have been generously donating pennies and other spare change throughout the year to benefit the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s “Pennies for Patients” program. This program helps fund research around the world for blood cancer cures, therapies and support services for those in need. According to www.schoolandyouth.org, many of the 50 new cancer drugs approved in the last decade by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration were advanced thanks to support from programs such as Pennies for Patients. In total, Babylon Memorial Grade School students raised over $1,500 as part of the Pennies for Patients campaign. The effort was spearheaded by the Babylon Memorial Grade School Student Council, along with third-grade teacher Patricia Murphy and special education teacher Joanne Fasano. http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=10213 Sun, 14 Apr 2013 00:00:00 GMT The Babylon High School Leo Club, part of Lions Club International, hosted its annual Dinner and Theater for senior citizens on April 11 at Babylon High School. This event, a joint effort between the Leo Club and Drama Club, allowed local senior citizens the opportunity to have an enjoyable night out with dinner and a show. Last fall the event was attended by over 100 local community members, and the club served even more this year. Attendees were treated to a pasta dinner, complete with bread, salad, beverages and dessert. Directly after the meal, the Babylon Drama Club showed off their talents with a special performance of the musical “I Never Saw Another Butterfly.” http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=10216 Sun, 14 Apr 2013 00:00:00 GMT Babylon High School celebrated the grand opening of the Babylon Science Research Laboratory with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on April 10, in honor of Babylon resident Theresa Patnode Santmann. Last summer, Mrs. Santmann made a generous $270,000 donation on behalf of the Theresa Patnode Santmann Foundation Inc. to redesign the high school’s previous art room into a state-of-the-art science research laboratory, and the ribbon-cutting event provided her with the first opportunity to view the room. The new laboratory offers science research students 21 independent stations and features such equipment as autoclaves for sterilizing equipment, electrophoreses used for DNA analysis, a thermal cycler used for DNA amplification, electronic probes for data collection, centrifuges used for separating solutions by density and new physical microscopes, plus access to the latest technology to enhance group and independent research for students in grades 8-12. Superintendent of Schools Richard Rozakis, Babylon High School science research teacher Claire Birone, several members of the Board of Education and high school science research students were on hand to greet Mrs. Santmann and thank her for her generosity. “We are very grateful for Mrs. Santmann’s donation,” said Babylon Director of Science Kristen Dixon. “This state-of-the-art laboratory will enhance the district’s science research program and be utilized by students for years to come.” http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=10162 Wed, 10 Apr 2013 00:00:00 GMT Babylon Mayor Ralph Scordino and Suffolk County Legislator Wayne Horsley of the 14th Legislative District were among a handful of notable local officials on hand to recognize three of Babylon High School’s award-winning athletic squads on April 10 in Babylon High School’s Rowe Hall auditorium. Among the honorees were the Babylon Panthers football team (Long Island champion, Rutgers Trophy winner), the Long Island champion Babylon Panthers girls varsity volleyball team and the Panthers boys basketball squad (Class B Long Island champion, Class B New York State finalist). The Panthers football team went undefeated, won the Long Island championship and earned the Rutgers Cup for being the most outstanding football team in Suffolk County. Babylon football was a scholar-athlete team with a cumulative GPA of 93.753. Jake Carlock, Joe Cosby, Jeann Cruz, John Dertinger, Nick Santorelli, Eric Schweitzer, Kevin Smith, Andrew Watson and Luke Zappia were recognized as an All-Division first team, and Brian LosKamp, Matt Pinto and Alec Zamet took All-Division second team honors. Carlock (All-County, All-Long Island), Cruz (All-County), Santorelli (All-County), Schweitzer (All-County, Second Team All-Long Island) and Watson (All-County) earned additional honors. Panthers head coach Rick Punzone was recognized as Suffolk County Coach of the Year, and Zamet earned an additional honor with recognition as a National Football Foundation Scholar-Athlete. The Babylon Lady Panthers volleyball team earned 17 victories and defeated the Nassau County champion Oyster Bay Lady Baymen, 3-0, on Nov. 13, 2012, in the Long Island Class C championship game at Carle Place High School. It was their first Long Island championship in school history. As for the Panthers boys varsity basketball team, they finished first in Suffolk League VII and captured a New York State finalist plaque. They also had numerous individual achievements, with Jacob Carlock, Brendan Laing and Raymond Wardell earning All-League, and Fernando Vasquez taking home honors for All-County and Second Team Long Island. “The three teams we are recognizing here today have each done something that has never been done in the long and storied history of Babylon athletics,” said Babylon Athletic Director Michael DeJoseph. “Our football team went undefeated and won a Long Island championship, and also won the Rutgers Cup trophy for the first time in Babylon history. As for girls volleyball, they had never been to the Long Island championship before, so the team and their coaches deserve congratulations. And our boys basketball team finished second overall in New York State, falling just short in a tough overtime loss in the state finals, so again, congratulations to the coaches and players.” http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=10159 Tue, 09 Apr 2013 00:00:00 GMT The Common Core Learning Standards and Assessments Beginning next Tuesday, April 16, our students in grades 3-8 will begin taking their state assessment exams in ELA. One week later, they will do the same in math. This is the first time that our students will be tested on the Common Core Learning Standards Some people may still wonder exactly what is meant by the Common Core. These standards were adopted by the State Education Department to ensure that every high school graduate is college or career ready. A college-and career-ready graduate will possess the knowledge and skills that will ensure that he or she is successful in the 2020s and beyond. These include problem-solving, critical thinking, creativity and innovation, communication, collaboration and leadership. The new assessments based on the standards will include an Increase in Rigor - Many of the questions on the Common Core assessments are more advanced and complex than those found on prior assessments. Secondly, the assessments Focus on Text – To answer ELA questions correctly, students will need to read and analyze each passage completely and closely, and be prepared to carefully consider responses to multiple choice and short answer questions. Students will need to answer questions with evidence gathered from their understanding of rigorous literature and informational texts. Third, Depth of Math – Students will be expected to understand math conceptually, use prerequisite skills with grade-level math facts, and solve math problems rooted in the real-world, deciding for themselves which formulas and tools to use. The Common Core State Standards (CCSS) allow states across the nation to share a common definition of readiness at each grade level; if students are to graduate high school fully prepared, they must meet the benchmarks set by the Common Core – atevery grade and in every classroom. It is to these benchmarks that we must now teach. It is student mastery of these benchmarks that we must now assess. As far as the forthcoming 2012-13 Grades 3-8 Assessments, the Commissioner of Education, John King, has asked that we inform our school communities of the following: o Since this is the first time that New York State will be reporting student grade-levelexpectations against a trajectory of college-and career-readiness as measured by tests fully reflective of the Common Core, the number of students who score at or above grade level expectations will likely decrease. o The number of students meeting or exceeding Common Core grade-level expectations should not be interpreted as a decline in student learning or as a decline in educator performance. Instead, the results from these new assessments will give educators, parents, policymakers, and the public a more realistic picture of where students are on their pathto being well prepared for the world that awaits them after they graduate from high school. o It is important to note that no new districts or schools will be identified as a district in crisis based on the 2012-13 assessment results. In other words, a lower performance by some students on some tests will not act as an indicator that our schools are in trouble or are not meeting our annual yearly progress. o Teacher performance ratings will not be adversely affected by the anticipated drop in student scores. That is, teacher growth scores on their APPR will result in similar proportions of educators being rated effective or highly effective as compared to last year. o The Common Core Toolkit for Parents and Families is a collection of materials and resources (http://engageny.org/parent-and-family-resources) that will help parents and families understand the Common Core itself and New York State. http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=10112 Tue, 09 Apr 2013 00:00:00 GMT The Babylon Drama Club is set to perform its spring play, Celeste Raspunti’s “I Never Saw Another Butterfly.” The play will open in Rowe Hall on Friday, April 12 at 8 p.m., with performances also on Saturday, April 13 at 8 p.m. and Sunday, April 14 at 2 p.m. General admission tickets may be purchased at the door. Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for students and $2 for senior citizens. Doors to the auditorium open 30 minutes prior to showtime. “The story is a flashback told through the perspective of a woman who survives the Holocaust,” Babylon Drama Club Director Lisa Drance said of the upcoming play. “What's unique about this tale of survival is that it is set at Terezin, a concentration camp that housed children and artists during WWII and was the Nazis' show piece to the Red Cross. This topic ties into both the eighth- and 10th-grade curricula, so we thought this interdisciplinary experience would enrich students' understanding of the Holocaust.” http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=10121 Mon, 08 Apr 2013 00:00:00 GMT The Board of Education honored dozens of award-winning students on April 8 prior to the public board meeting in Babylon High School’s Rowe Hall. Among the honorees were the students who participated and/or placed in the Long Island Science and Engineering Fair, as well as those who placed in the top 10 at this year’s New York State DECA Career Conference. Babylon High School Principal Al Cirone and Babylon Memorial Grade School Principal Dr. Randee Bonagura also took the stage to introduce the students who were selected to perform at the Suffolk County Music Educators Association All-County Festival, along with the students who performed at the SCMEA All-County Jazz Ensemble and those who took their talents to Carnegie Hall to showcase their musicianship with the American High School Honors Choir. Later in the program, Babylon High School wrestling coaches Ken Brodmerkel and Danny McHugh honored the members of their team who participated in this year’s state tournament. The Babylon Panthers boys basketball team were also honored for their efforts in taking home a New York State Class B finalist plaque. http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=10123 Mon, 08 Apr 2013 00:00:00 GMT The Babylon UFSD Board of Education is seeking community volunteers to serve on a Facilities Review Committee that will assist the Board in preparing a proposed bond issue later this year. The committee will review the district's state-mandated facilities report and provide recommendations about the scale of work that the Board will consider. The committee will be led by Roger Smith of BBS Architects, and committee members should expect a series of several meetings...(click to view the form) http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=9991 Wed, 03 Apr 2013 00:00:00 GMT The Babylon Rotary Club has selected Babylon Memorial Grade School to be the recipient of this year's Legacy of Literacy gift, and Eileen Ratto's class showed their gratitude for the donation by performing Reader's Theater skits for the club members. Besides the short skits, the students also read poems to members of the club as a special token of appreciation for the organization’s unyielding year-round support. Babylon Rotary Club’s Legacy of Literacy gift included a generous donation of books for all Babylon Memorial Grade School students. http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=9889 Tue, 02 Apr 2013 00:00:00 GMT Babylon High School 11th-grader Giovanna Domingo was recognized at Suffolk Community College as one of Suffolk County’s youth working hard to create a society respectful of human rights. The Suffolk Center on the Holocaust, Diversity & Human Understanding Inc. hosted a series of events this month to educate the community on historical events and acts of genocide such as the Holocaust, and on human rights atrocities, to teach approaches to preventing such acts from occurring in the future, and to foster peaceful coexistence in the Suffolk County community. Domingo was selected to represent Babylon during the program due to her fine work in the local community in raising awareness for preventing human rights violations. “I was honored to be able to represent Babylon at this event,” Domingo said. “I’ve always been interested in the Holocaust because it touches my heart how people suffered from so much devastation. I wish I could have been there to help them.” Domingo recently visited a local Holocaust museum and said it sparked an interest in her to get the word out about preventing human rights atrocities from occurring in the future. She plans to take a Jewish studies class either in her senior year of high school or freshman year of college to gain a deeper understanding of the Holocaust. http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=9974 Mon, 01 Apr 2013 00:00:00 GMT The Babylon Rotary Club has selected Babylon Memorial Grade School to be the recipient of this year's Legacy of Literacy gift, and Eileen Ratto's class showed their gratitude for the donation by performing Reader's Theater skits for the club members. Besides the short skits, the students also read poems to members of the club as a special token of appreciation for the organization’s unyielding year-round support. Babylon Rotary Club’s Legacy of Literacy gift included a generous donation of books for all Babylon Memorial Grade School students. http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=9978 Mon, 01 Apr 2013 00:00:00 GMT As a culminating celebration for the Babylon PTA’s Parents as Reading Partners program, all students from Babylon Memorial Grade School dressed as pirates and participated in a flash mob in the school hallways to go along with this year’s PARP theme, “Reading Is a Treasure.” The students danced and sang “Gotta Keep Reading,” an adaptation of the Black Eyed Peas’ “I've Got a Feeling.” According to Babylon Memorial Grade School Principal Randee Bonagura, the students read at least 15 minutes each night with a family member, and in exchange for their hard work, Babylon’s PTA donated funds to First Book on their behalf. First Book is an organization that provides books to children in need nationwide. http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=9888 Sun, 24 Mar 2013 00:00:00 GMT Babylon - A Class Act http://www.newsday.com/sports/columnists/bob-herzog/babylon-a-class-act-even-after-its-tough-loss-in-state-final-1.4831126 http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=9836 Thu, 21 Mar 2013 00:00:00 GMT Babylon’s Fernando Vasquez scored a game-high 27 points in the New York State Class B Boys Basketball Championship Game in Glens Falls, N.Y., as the Panthers wrapped up their historic season with a New York State finalist plaque for the first time in program history. Despite falling just short against Watervliet in the title game, the Panthers have nothing to hang their heads about. Babylon finished 22-4 overall, including a deep playoff run that included victories over perennial contenders such as Syracuse Westhill, Marlboro and Wheatley. Vasquez led the way in the state final four tournament, notching 67 points over a two-game span. Ray Wardell was another key contributor for the Panthers come playoff time, as he scored 18 points in the championship game. Standout junior Jake Carlock added nine to the Panthers’ tally. Babylon fought all the way back from a 35-19 halftime deficit in the state championship game to force an unlikely overtime period. Despite the heartbreaking loss, the Panthers showed heart and determination that will propel them to success for years to come. Congratulations on a great season to remember. Babylon- A Class Act: http://www.newsday.com/sports/columnists/bob-herzog/babylon-a-class-act-even-after-its-tough-loss-in-state-final-1.4831126 http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=9782 Mon, 18 Mar 2013 00:00:00 GMT Twelve of the 37 Babylon High School students who participated in the New York State DECA Career Conference in Rochester, N.Y., placed in the top 10 in their respective fields. Delaney Cassidy and Kerry Glenday placed in the top 10 in New York State in their combined test and role play, Travel and Tourism. Another top finisher was Matt Finelli, whose honors included Top 10 Test, Top 10 Role Play and Top 10 Overall in Restaurant and Food Management. Other notable award winners from Babylon were Kelly Corcoran ( No. 1 Test: Food Marketing), Shannon Going (Top 10: Broadcast Advertising), Lizzy Logan (No. 1 Test: Retail Merchandising), Hallie Merz (Top 10: Visual Advertising), Carol Anne Murphy (No. 3: Visual Advertising), Sean Reynolds (Top 10 Test: Business Services Marketing), Matt Taggart (Top 10 Role Play: Accounting), Hannah Walsh (Top 10 Test: Automotive Services) and Luke Zappia (Top 10: Public Service Broadcast Advertising). Babylon's DECA students participated in the competition under the direction of co-advisers Andrew Marulis and Claire Reilly. "Besides exhibiting extraordinary professional behavior, these students also did very well in their competitive events," Reilly said. "They put a lot of time and effort into this competition, and we are very proud of their performance, competing against over 3,500 students from across the state. “DECA is a community service organization, and the Babylon chapter is proud to have performed admirably in a range of business, marketing, advertising, accounting and finance topics,” Reilly continued. “Many of our students scored in the top 10 of their categories, and several garnered multiple top 10 and even first-place finishes in their events.” http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=9750 Sun, 17 Mar 2013 00:00:00 GMT Elizabeth Quinn’s criminal justice class at Babylon High School has been busy learning about police procedures, and the students’ lesson plan “came to life” with a demonstration by officers from Suffolk County Police Department’s K-9 Unit. Officers Gomez, O’Brien and Teufel spoke to the students about law enforcement duties, and how canines are used for the apprehension of fleeing criminals, bomb searches and illegal drug eradication. The officers brought three police dogs with them for the assembly to provide students with a better understanding of their playful nature and exactly how they are utilized in law enforcement. They explained it’s a common misconception that police canines are vicious “junkyard dogs” that like to bite people, when in fact they are well-trained animals that will only attack when commanded to do so by an officer. The students had the opportunity to ask the officers questions, and Officer Gomez provided advice on applying to the police academy to several students who indicated they were interested in pursuing a career in law enforcement. http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=9712 Thu, 14 Mar 2013 00:00:00 GMT The Babylon High School Leo Club, part of Lions Club International, is pleased to announce that its annual Dinner and Theater for senior citizens will be held on Thursday, April 11 at Babylon High School. This event, a joint effort between the Leo Club and Drama Club at Babylon High School, allows local senior citizens the opportunity to have a night out and enjoy dinner and a show. Last December, the event was attended by over 100 local community members, and the club hopes to serve even more people this year. A pasta dinner accompanied by bread, salad, beverages and dessert will be served at 3:45 p.m. in the Babylon High School Cafe, followed by the Babylon Drama Club production of “I Never Saw Another Butterfly.” RSVPs are necessary for all guests. Please call Karin Colletti at 631-893-7920 if you are interested in attending. http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=9679 Wed, 13 Mar 2013 00:00:00 GMT Jake Carlock, a multisport junior at Babylon High School, scored a team-high 16 points, and standout guard Fernando Vasquez added 15, as Babylon (21-3) edged Marlboro (56-49) in the New York State Class B Southeast Regional boys basketball final at SUNY Old Westbury to earn a spot in the NYSPHSAA Class B semifinal round. Carlock came through with a clutch effort when the team needed him most, as he chipped in eight of his 16 in overtime. Star forward Brendan Laing and standout guard Alec Zamet combined for 14 points, and Ray Wardell added nine points to Babylon’s tally. The Panthers will be making their first trip to the New York State final four in program history when they play the winner of West Hill vs. Norwich at 6:45 p.m. on March 15 at the Glens Falls Civic Center in Glens Falls, N.Y. http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=9627 Mon, 11 Mar 2013 00:00:00 GMT Babylon High School juniors Jed Dale, Max Pitagno and Matt Taggart placed second in their division at the Junior Varsity Long Island Science and Engineering Fair competition at Crest Hollow Country Club in Woodbury for their science research project, "The Efficacy of a Bio-mechanical Inductor Utilizing the Flagella-Powered, Magnetically Coordinated Movement of Nickel Sulfate-Enriched, Nickel-Resistant Pseudomonas putida.” Eleventh-graders Sara Mikovic, Emily Wardell and Meredith Wardell also took part in the competition, as the six students represented Babylon in the school’s first participation in a competitive science research fair. “We are so proud of this accomplishment,” said Babylon High School science research teacher Claire Birone, who oversaw the students at the event. “This was Babylon’s first time competing, and our first-ever science research award!” LISEF is a competition for the most advanced high school projects, and its participants have the opportunity to present to professionals in the field from local universities and scientific institutions. According to www.lisef.org, since competition on Long Island is very intense, and the number of projects that can be accommodated at the LISEF Fair is limited, the JV Fair was created to provide an additional opportunity for students to compete. http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=9641 Mon, 11 Mar 2013 00:00:00 GMT Babylon High School celebrated National Foreign Language Week by decorating the school lobby and cafeteria with banners that highlighted a different country each day. The students celebrated Ireland on Monday, March 4, followed by Mexico, France and Italy. The last day of the week served as International Day to pay homage to all the countries around the globe. “Students were exposed to international music while enjoying a cafeteria menu catered to the country being highlighted each day,” said Babylon High School world languages director Michelle Scharff. “Morning announcements had an international twist, with the greeting spoken in the language of the day, along with fun facts about the culture. On the final day of the celebration, students enjoyed an international dessert buffet in the bistro, provided by members of the World Language Club.” Throughout the week, various activities were offered to promote cultural awareness and allow for research and discussion about the many languages and cultures of the world. Students were encouraged to search for shamrocks to receive their pot o' gold on Monday, took a chance for a piñata prize the next day, then found the Eiffel Towers around the school for a French-inspired reward, and finally spun the “Wheel of Pizza” for prizes on Thursday. They turned in their stamped Foreign Language Week passports on the final day of the week for a chance to win New York Yankees tickets. Students also worked all week on a trivia quest, answering questions posted outside of teachers’ classrooms as part of their international journey. Once completed, their passports were stamped by a language teacher and they were entered into a drawing to win the tickets. http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=9578 Thu, 07 Mar 2013 00:00:00 GMT Jennifer Brooks’ kindergarten class at Babylon Elementary School celebrated Dr. Seuss’ birthday this week by reading “The Cat in the Hat” and decorating homemade hats inspired by the book. According to http://www.seussville.com, Dr. Seuss epitomizes a love of children and learning. His use of rhyme makes his books an effective tool for teaching young children the basic skills they need to be successful. When Dr. Seuss and reading are celebrated, it sends a clear message to America's children that reading is fun and important. http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=9579 Thu, 07 Mar 2013 00:00:00 GMT Babylon Elementary School students celebrated the 100th day of the 2012-13 school year by creating "100th Day" hats, banners and posters decorated with 100 various items. Some posters were decorated with 100 pennies, while others were adorned with gummy worms, stamps, cereal and stickers. The students also read books related to the 100th day of school, such as Margery Cuyler’s “100th Day Worries” and Trudy Harris’ “100 Days of School.” http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=9429 Thu, 28 Feb 2013 00:00:00 GMT Hip Pickles, a critically-acclaimed drum ensemble that has been performing in schools and libraries for over 15 years, delivered an awe-inspiring, interactive set in the Babylon Elementary School gymnasium that captivated the imagination of students and teachers alike. With the interactive performance concept in mind, Hip Pickles invited students on stage to tap on the drums and shake to the beat of their percussions for the purpose of displaying the power of teamwork and cooperation in music. Hip Pickles “Music with a Message” assemblies highlight themes selected by PTAs, teachers and principals. While the band has a wide range of programs in their repertoire, their Babylon performance focused on an anti-bullying theme. http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=9430 Thu, 28 Feb 2013 00:00:00 GMT Third-graders from Babylon Grade School participated in the national “Random Acts of Kindness” campaign by reading Margery Cuyler’s “Kindness Is Cooler, Mrs. Ruler.” They also created a bulletin board filled with valentine notes explaining the recent acts of kindness they performed for others. According to RandomActsofKindness.org, the program is a school-based initiative that was founded on the belief that teaching kindness in schools can make a big difference in students’ lives. The Random Acts of Kindness campaign includes lesson plans and classroom activities that directly correlate with state standards such as conflict resolution, communication skills, decision-making skills and stress management – providing academic staff a way to teach and reinforce these new skills to their students. http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=9431 Thu, 28 Feb 2013 00:00:00 GMT Superintendent's Message February 26, 2013 The Future Is Already Here My first six months in the Babylon School District have provided me with many opportunities to observe excellent teachers using innovative strategies to reach all children, students fully engaged in their learning and administrators making sure our schools are safe and student-centered learning environments. At the same time, it has presented many new challenges, especially in the aftermath of such unprecedented events as Hurricane Sandy and the Newtown Tragedy. Both had created sharp learning curves for all of us, but they also provided an opportunity for our schools and community to come together for our common good. I have celebrated with our many successful athletic teams, applauded the talents of our singers and musicians and supported the achievements of our young scientists, mathematicians, writers and student leaders. Most of all, I continue to be impressed by the commitment made by our parents and community to excellence in education. The trustees on the Board of Education, the administrative team and all of our faculty and staff are just as committed to providing a world-class education to each and every student. I am continuously pondering the question: What should every Babylon high school graduate know, understand and be able to do when he or she leaves us and ventures into the world of college and careers? Traditionally, a senior will have read Shakespeare, solved quadratic equations, studied the United States Constitution and learned to interpret the Periodic Table among numerous other learning experiences. However, will mastering this content be enough? I have been working with the Board and administration to create a visionof what a Babylon classroom will look like in the year 2020. In less than two years from now, students will be taking their assessment tests on line. Gone will be the pen-and-paper exam. More and more textbooks will also become digital with interactive content. Imagine. With the biology text on her handheld reading device, a sophomore in 2020 will read digital text about mitosis and then watch a video of cells duplicating themselves. She will then write what she observes in her device notebook, electronically send it to the teacher and store it in her digital portfolio. Picture this! Our students will no longer be carrying heavy textbooks around in backpacks. They will never miss an assignment because teachers will post everything on-line. Learning will be truly interactive with video, music, narrative and illustration all integrated into every lesson. Smartboards will allow students to display the work on their personal devices for the entire class to see. The library will be a true media center where students can do in-depth research on line and make use of a vast assortment of digital resources. Students will never miss class once they can participate via skype. Down the road Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and other social websites will be commonplace methods to disseminate school information. Pinterest and Instagram remind us that this media is ever-evolving, so what we use in 2020 may not even exist yet. It’s not such a brave new world anymore. The technology is available and is being employed in school districts everywhere. When we consider how familiar our kids already are with iPhones, kindles, e-books and iPods, or how facile they are on Facebook or Twitter, this new classroom will not only be familiar to them, it will also be what is expected. We in Babylon have been identifying and methodically making the improvements in technology that will be needed. Therefore, as our mission continues to be squarely focused on nurturing and enriching every student’s natural delight in learning, we must more than ever hone our 20-20 Vision. As the author William Gibson said, “The future is already here.” I look forward to continuing my work with everyone in our Babylon school community with this question foremost in my mind: “How can we best prepare our graduates for success in this rapidly changing world?” Richard Rozakis Superintendent, Babylon UFSD http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=9379 Tue, 26 Feb 2013 00:00:00 GMT Twenty-six members from the Babylon High School chapter of the Science National Honor Society paid a visit to Babylon Memorial Grade School as part of a science awareness mentoring program to assist sixth-grade students with projects they have been working on for their upcoming science fair. The program, which was organized by club advisers Melissa Callahan and Heather Hosek, offers high school students the opportunity to share their experiences and expertise, while putting Babylon’s younger science students on the path to successful studies. “The high school students shared their expertise on the construction of data tables, graphs and experimental design, while the sixth-grade students received new ideas and exposure to possible achievements that they can reach in their future,” said Hosek, a science teacher at Babylon Memorial Grade School. http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=9328 Sun, 24 Feb 2013 00:00:00 GMT Kim Gentile and Marie Poelker’s second-grade students from Babylon Elementary School participated in a community service project to benefit Haven House Bridges, a Long Island establishment that provides housing and support services to people in need. Haven House Bridges provides housing, training and guidance to homeless families, single mothers and their young children, as well as individuals and families affected by illness. The shelter also includes a preschool. To lend a handing help, the students collected travel size toiletry items, such as toothpaste, soap, lotion and shampoo, and placed the items in individual bags for distribution. “The children secured the bags closed with flowers they made during art class, along with handwritten notes with kind wishes for the families that received them,” Mrs. Poelker said of the project. “Thank you to the students, and also to the classroom aides and family members who were on hand to lend support.” http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=9313 Thu, 21 Feb 2013 00:00:00 GMT Babylon Memorial Grade School students learned critical math skills while having fun playing sports and card games at the Family Math Carnival held on Feb. 6 in the school’s gymnasium. The event, which was spearheaded by the Babylon Grade School Math Committee, fourth-grade teacher Kelly Arcoleo and Principal Randee Bonagura, included several brain-building activities to help students improve their math abilities in an enjoyable atmosphere with friends, family members and classmates. Among the many games played was "Breakthrough," a card game that utilizes dice to help students develop strategy based on probability theory. The children also enjoyed sports-based games, such as counting the number of basketball dribbles they could tally in a 60-second span. Additionally, there was a "Guessing Jar," a "Multiplication Baseball" activity and a "Whirl-Away Board." http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=9065 Thu, 07 Feb 2013 00:00:00 GMT Five talented district musicians performed at this year’s LISFA (Long Island String Festival Association) festivals, held over the past several weeks at Northport and Ward Melville high schools. Babylon High School senior Hannah McGlinchey, eighth-grader Emma Schubart and ninth-grader William Ye performed in the Suffolk Secondary String Festival, while Babylon Grade School sixth-grader Peter Schubart was selected for the Suffolk Elementary Festival. Babylon Junior-Senior High School seventh-grader Sophia Sherman also earned a spot in the Suffolk Elementary Festival. Peter was also one of the 19 Babylon musicians selected to perform in this year’s Suffolk County Music Educators’ Association All-County Festival. He joins Babylon Grade School musicians Sydney Altbacker, Aubrey Alvino, Rachel Gordon, Emily Lully, Julia Minicozzi, Rachel Pinna, Anna Romero and Nick Zukaitis for Division I at the festival, representing the fifth and sixth grades. From Babylon High School, Tyler Gumpel, Brooke Wexler, William Ye and Chi Zhang were the students selected for the festival’s Division III (ninth- and 10th-grade) group, while Gabriella Albanese, Lindsey Daily, Matthew Fama, Olivia Lully, Emma Schubart and Jake Zukaitis earned spots on the Division II (seventh- and eighth-grade) list. “This distinction marks them among the top student-musicians in their age group,” Babylon Director of Fine Arts Angela Turk said of the honor. “Congratulations to our students and their music teachers.” http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=9055 Wed, 06 Feb 2013 00:00:00 GMT Nineteen musicians from the district have been selected to perform in this year’s Suffolk County Music Educators’ Association All-County Festival. From Babylon High School, Tyler Gumpel, Brooke Wexler, William Ye and Chi Zhang were the students selected for the festival’s Division III (ninth- and 10th-grade) group, while Gabriella Albanese, Lindsey Daily, Matthew Fama, Olivia Lully, Emma Schubart and Jake Zukaitis earned spots on the Division II (seventh- and eighth-grade) list. From Babylon Grade School, Sydney Altbacker , Aubrey Alvino, Rachel Gordon, Emily Lully, Julia Minicozzi, Rachel Pinna, Anna Romero, Peter Schubart and Nick Zukaitis were selected to Division I, representing the fifth and sixth grades. “This distinction marks them among the top student-musicians in their age group,” Babylon Director of Fine Arts Angela Turk said of the honor. “They will participate in three rehearsals and a concert in early March. Congratulations to our students and their music teachers.” http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=8996 Sun, 03 Feb 2013 00:00:00 GMT Sixth-graders from Babylon Grade School had the opportunity to become circus performers for a day, as they showcased their newfound skills in a special assembly on Feb. 1 in front of friends, family members, classmates and teachers. The Feb. 1 assembly was the culmination of an exciting week of learning, as the students had been practicing several circus activities including juggling, stilt-walking and devil sticks during their physical education classes throughout the week. The National Circus Project, a critically acclaimed educational outreach program that has conducted over 50,000 school workshops since 1984, conducted the assembly. Performing circus arts was an excellent way for the students to develop motor skills, hand-eye coordination and balance. Additionally, circus activities are inherently cooperative and non-competitive, which is great for team-building. http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=8997 Sun, 03 Feb 2013 00:00:00 GMT Dozens of award-winning musicians from Babylon High School had the opportunity to perform in front of their friends, family, teachers and classmates this week in an impressive winter concert held at Babylon High School’s Rowe Hall auditorium. Performances were made by the high school flute ensemble, the Junior High Jazz Band and Senior High Jazz Band. Later in the evening, the clarinet ensemble wowed the crowd with several ear-pleasing numbers. Moments before the first performance of the evening, Babylon Director of Fine Arts Angela Turk announced to the crowd that 19 musicians from the district have been selected to this year’s Suffolk County Music Educators Association festival, and five others earned spots in the Long Island String Festival Association Festival. Additionally, Babylon High School drummer James Navarra has been named to the All-Suffolk County Jazz Ensemble. Turk thanked the Babylon community for its continued support of music and arts education in the Babylon School District. http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=8968 Thu, 31 Jan 2013 00:00:00 GMT Babylon elementary students learned how to use iPads and QR codes during a recent Gingerbread Man scavenger hunt at the elementary school. After comparing versions of the Gingerbread Man in their classrooms, Babylon Elementary media specialist Lisa Ann Lindeman shared with the students Laura Murray’s “The Gingerbread Man Loose in the School.” As a culminating event, Babylon Elementary art teacher Patricia Stork joined Lindeman and the students for a technology scavenger hunt throughout the school. Students used iPads to scan QR codes in the building to receive clues as to where the Gingerbread Man was hiding in the school. At each stop, they tried different types of iPad activities. Their adventure included using an app and stylus to color a Gingerbread Man, viewing a video book trailer, listening to an e-reader version of the Gingerbread Man narrated by a special guest and watching an animated movie created by Stork featuring the Gingerbread Man in the elementary school computer lab. “They even received a humorous message from the famous character himself,” Lindeman said. “Our first-graders loved the story. It was a sweet time for everyone!” iPads inspire creativity and hands-on learning with features that include key components for students to become true 21st century learners. The tablets are expanding the learning experience both inside and outside of the classroom, as they provide interactive lessons, study aids and productivity tools. The district recognizes how important it is for students to have the opportunity to study and learn using these devices. http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=8866 Thu, 24 Jan 2013 00:00:00 GMT Babylon elementary students held a book fair this month at Bay Shore’s Barnes & Noble to raise money for Babylon families affected by Hurricane Sandy. The students helped raise close to $600, and Barnes & Noble chipped in with a generous donation of books that Babylon Elementary Principal Dana Basile said values over $1,000. “The community and students were asked to stop by to see teachers and friends sharing stories and more,” Babylon elementary art teacher Patricia Stork said of the event. “Kindergarten and first-grade students came and sang songs, did writer’s workshop plays and even sang a math rap song. It was a night of fun for all.” Art Honor Society students from Babylon High School lent a helping hand as well, as they held a face-painting station and gave the younger students drawing lessons in a special workshop. Teachers and aides from the elementary school also volunteered their time to help with gift-wrapping. http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=8782 Sun, 20 Jan 2013 00:00:00 GMT Musicians from Babylon Grade School had the opportunity to perform in front of their friends, family, teachers and classmates this month in a dazzling series of winter concerts held both in the grade school gymnasium and Babylon High School’s Rowe Hall auditorium. Performances were made by Colleen Angerami’s third- and fourth-grade chorus, Paul Grisafi’s orchestra and Don Meier’s cadet band. The festivities kicked off on the morning of Jan. 17, as the young musicians performed for their classmates and grade school faculty in the school gymnasium. Family members enjoyed the students’ second performance of the day later that evening at Rowe Hall. Among the many highlights was the cadet band making their very first performance in front of a live audience, playing each of their three songs twice through to get the full enjoyment from the experience. The Grade School Winter Concert Part II is slated for Jan. 24 at 7 p.m. at Babylon High School’s Rowe Hall. http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=8749 Thu, 17 Jan 2013 00:00:00 GMT Kim Ricchiuti and Shannon Saturno’s third-grade students at Babylon Memorial Grade School learned themes of tolerance, racial diversity and acceptance in honor of Martin Luther King Day by conducting a scientific experiment involving brown and white eggs. The students "broke a few color barriers" by cracking the eggs into a bowl and whisking them together to reveal that they are the same on the inside, just like people. Leading up to the project, the children were asked to write about what they thought would be inside each color egg. "During the lesson, we tried to emphasize that although we may look different on the outside, we are all the same inside," Mrs. Ricchiuti said. "Therefore, we should all be treated equally." The students ultimately observed that the eggs came in all different shades and colors on the outside, but that they were all the same on the inside. To begin the lesson, Mrs. Saturno read to the students Mem Fox's “Whoever You Are,” a book that discusses how children all over the world share a common ground despite racial and gender differences. http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=8734 Wed, 16 Jan 2013 00:00:00 GMT Students from Babylon Elementary School have been generously donating leftover portions of their lunch money in support of Babylon families that were affected by Hurricane Sandy, and Principal Dana Basile announced that over $2,500 has been collected. The total, which Basile estimates at approximately $2,700, includes donations from elementary school staffers, an anonymous $1,000 donation from a Babylon family, and a generous donation from a school in Massachusetts. “We are extremely grateful that a Massachusetts school stepped up with a monetary donation, along with books and clothing for children in need,” Basile said. “We also had Barnes and Noble donate over $1,000 worth of books to us to share with families, and $525 from our Barnes and Noble book fair event. We also had approximately $500 donated in the way of grocery store and Target gifts cards from families through the K-6 PTA.” Basile added that the school developed a reserve fund for donations specific to Hurricane Sandy. “In the months ahead, using the monies we collected, we will be dispersing gift cards to families affected by Hurricane Sandy,” she said. There is still plenty of time left to lend a helping hand, as donations will be accepted until the end of the school year. Babylon Elementary staffers are also doing their part to aid families in need. Basile announced that Babylon Elementary School faculty members pooled together $800 from their own pockets for a relief fund that was set up by the Newtown, Conn. Board of Education, which will go to families of the Dec. 14 Sandy Hook tragedy. http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=8667 Sun, 13 Jan 2013 00:00:00 GMT Babylon students shone at the 2013 Suffolk County Distributive Education Clubs of America (DECA) Regional competition, as the district had 30 trophy winners in a variety of business categories. The district typically fares well at the annual competition, and this year was no exception. Of the 95 Babylon students who competed at the event, over two dozen went home as award-winners. The district had three first-place winners, a handful of second-place finishers and two third-place winners. Delaney Cassidy and Kerry Glenday took first place in Travel & Tourism, and Matt Finelli finished first in the Restaurant & Food Service Management category. Sam Dickran and Greg Rueda took home a second-place trophy in Hospitality Services, Kelly Corcoran earned a second-place award in Food Marketing and Roseanne Bencivenga earned second place in Hotel & Lodging Management. Renee Daloia also earned the district a second-place finish in Decision-Making – Marketing. Another second-place trophy went to Elizabeth Tighe, for Basic Marketing. Madalynn Lauria took home a third-place trophy for Decision-Making – Human Resources and Luke Zappia had a third-place finish in Public Service Visual Advertising. DECA, Babylon’s largest student organization, is a national co-curricular group that promotes and encourages student development in entrepreneurship, finance, accounting, marketing and management. Babylon High School Director of Practical Arts Claire P. Reilly was proud of the students’ display of professionalism at the event. "Our students represented Babylon well with their professional dress and outstanding behavior," Reilly said. "Mr. Andrew Marulis and I would like to thank all of our participants for a great day at Suffolk DECA." http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=8668 Sun, 13 Jan 2013 00:00:00 GMT The Babylon School District offers a full-day kindergarten program for students residing within school district boundaries. To be eligible for enrollment in kindergarten beginning in September 2013, children must be 5 years old on or before Dec. 1, 2013 and registered during the open registration period. This year, residents can register their children on: Tuesday, March 5 from 6-8 p.m. and Wednesday, March 13 from 9-11 a.m., 1-2:30 p.m. and 6-8 p.m. at Babylon Elementary School 171 Ralph Ave., Babylon Two proofs of residency must be presented at registration. These include two (2) of the following: a driver’s license (with photo); an updated town/village tax bill; an updated W-2 form; current lease, mortgage, etc. (no utility bills will be accepted as proof of residency). If the driver’s license does not have a current address, an additional proof of residency (i.e., mortgage statement or copy of deed) must be presented. If you lease or rent and do not have an updated lease, an owner’s affidavit must be signed and notarized, along with a copy of the owner’s updated tax/village utility bill. Parents must supply the district with the child’s most recent immunization record. Children must have had two (2) MMRs and two (2) Varivax (Chicken Pox) vaccinations in order to sign up for Kindergarten Screening. Physicals will be mandatory prior to the start of kindergarten. Registration packets will be available for pickup in the Elementary School Office, 171 Ralph Ave., beginning Monday, Feb. 25. http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=8669 Sun, 13 Jan 2013 00:00:00 GMT Suffolk County Police Department Officer George Lynagh paid a visit to Babylon Memorial Grade School this week to teach students an important anti-bullying lesson. Officer Lynagh, who works with the Suffolk County Police Department’s Community Outreach Bureau, wanted the students to remember that since there are many different types of bullying – including emotional, verbal and physical – it's important to watch for the early signs of it. Lynagh’s lesson came at a crucial time, as student bullying is one of the most frequently reported discipline problems in schools across the country. According to a recent report from the National Education Association, 21 percent of elementary schools, 43 percent of middle schools and 22 percent of high schools reported problems with bullying over the past decade. Due to Lynagh’s fantastic school outreach efforts, Babylon is addressing the national trend when it comes to bullying. "We teach from a police officer’s point of view, and we talk a lot about consequences, both of bullying and Internet use,” Lynagh said. "It's a school resource officer program. It reaches from the elementary school all the way up to the high school level.” Babylon Memorial Grade School Principal Randee Bonagura makes it a point to invite Lynagh back to the school each year, and she is extremely pleased with the difference his message brings. Thanks to Officer Lynagh, Babylon’s grade school students have learned it’s always better to be a buddy rather than a bully. Lynagh’s visits reinforce the school-community partnership as an extension of the district’s character education program. http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=8593 Mon, 07 Jan 2013 00:00:00 GMT Governor Andrew M. Cuomo has directed that flags on state government buildings be flown at half-staff on Friday, December 21, 2012 in honor of a soldier from Baldwin who died Dec. 14 in Logar Province, Afghanistan. Sgt. 1st Class Kevin E. Lipari, 39 as assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company of the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team, based in Bamberg, Germany. "On behalf of all New Yorkers, I send my deepest sympathy to the friends, family, and fellow soldiers of Sgt. 1st Class Lipari," Governor Cuomo said. "We regret his death but we will remember and honor his service to our nation and his dedication to duty." Governor Cuomo has directed that the flags on all state buildings be lowered to half-staff in honor of and in tribute to our state's service members and those stationed in New York who are killed in action or die in a combat zone. http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=8401 Thu, 20 Dec 2012 00:00:00 GMT Kelly Arcoleo’s fourth-grade students from Babylon Memorial Grade School joined Anne Morris’ first-graders from Babylon Elementary School for a Baking Buddy project to benefit those less fortunate in the Babylon community. Arcoleo opened the program by reading DyAnne DiSalvo-Ryan’s “Uncle Willie and the Soup Kitchen” to the students, in an effort to provide the children with a better understanding of what a soup kitchen is and why people go there. Later in the event, students baked loaves of banana bread, which were then donated to the soup kitchen at Babylon’s Cross of Christ Lutheran Church. Besides learning the importance of helping others, both age groups benefited from the program in other key areas. “The fourth-graders learned leadership skills and set a great example for the younger students,” Arcoleo said, adding of the program, “It provided a great opportunity for the first-graders to gain some familiarity with the grade school, as they will be students here in the near future.” http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=8403 Wed, 19 Dec 2012 00:00:00 GMT HONORING THE VICTIMS OF THE TRAGEDY IN NEWTOWN, CONNECTICUT BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA A PROCLAMATION As a mark of respect for the victims of the senseless acts of violence perpetrated on December 14, 2012, in Newtown, Connecticut, by the authority vested in me as President of the United States by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, I hereby order that the flag of the United States shall be flown at half-staff at the White House and upon all public buildings and grounds, at all military posts and naval stations, and on all naval vessels of the Federal Government in the District of Columbia and throughout the United States and its Territories and possessions until sunset, December 18, 2012. I also direct that the flag shall be flown at half-staff for the same length of time at all United States embassies, legations, consular offices, and other facilities abroad, including all military facilities and naval vessels and stations. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this fourteenth day of December, in the year of our Lord two thousand twelve, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-seventh. BARACK OBAMA http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=8347 Mon, 17 Dec 2012 00:00:00 GMT Governor Andrew M. Cuomo has directed that flags on state government buildings be flown at half-staff on Thursday, December 20, 2012 in honor of a Rochester soldier who died December 13 of wounds suffered in Afghanistan on December 9. Army Staff Sgt. Nicholas J. Reid died in Landstuhl, Germany from wounds suffered in Sperwan Village, Afghanistan when enemy forces attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device. Read was assigned to the 53rd Ordnance Company (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) of the 3rd Ordnance Battalion (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) based at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington state. “Along with all New Yorkers, I mourn the death of Staff Sgt. Reid and extend my condolences to his family, friends and fellow soldiers," Governor Cuomo said. "We will remember his sacrifice and his dedication to our nation." Governor Cuomo has directed that the flags on all state buildings be lowered to half-staff in honor of and in tribute to our state's service members and those stationed in New York who are killed in action or die in a combat zone. Effective: Beginning of Business, Thursday, December 20, 2012 Return to Full Staff: Sunset, Thursday, December 20, 2012 http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=8348 Mon, 17 Dec 2012 00:00:00 GMT Babylon’s Long Island championship-winning football and girls volleyball teams were both honored at the Dec. 17 board of education meeting at Babylon High School. The board also presented certificates to the Babylon high school musicians who participated in the NYSCAME/SCMEA All-County Festival on Nov. 16 at Northport High School, as well as to the students who were selected to have their artwork displayed at this year’s NYSSBA conference in Rochester, N.Y. Samantha Gerdes, Colleen McKeown, Kathryn Oman and Matthew Taggart were the musicians honored, and Genny Gravina, Carolanne Murphy and Miranda Richards earned recognition for their art contributions. Also recognized was Kerry Glenday, the recipient of the New York State Association of Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance Suffolk Zone award. “We had a tremendous fall season in all areas,” said Babylon Board President Dominic Bencivenga. “The school board is extremely proud of these students, as the achievements this year were very significant.” Superintendent of Schools Richard Rozakis also had kind words for the students. “I’m very pleased to welcome some of our students who have made great achievements in music, art and physical education,” Rozakis said. “It’s also with great admiration and appreciation that we honor the achievements of our Long Island champion volleyball team and our undefeated varsity football team.” http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=8369 Mon, 17 Dec 2012 00:00:00 GMT Heather Hosek’s sixth-grade class at Babylon Grade School investigated Newton’s First Law, the law of inertia, during a special experiment using clay crash-test dummies on Dec. 7. The students created the dummies from clay and then used miniature cars and ramps to observe the distance objects fly from a car after impact. The experiment was an interactive, fun way to illustrate to the students the relationship between speed, distance, velocity, acceleration and gravity. After formulating a hypothesis about the outcome of the experiment, the students sent their crash-test dummies flying down the ramps and observed the outcome. Using a stack of books, the students then tested the ramps at various inclines to see if the crash-test dummies would travel farther based on the height of the book stack. By the end of the experiment, students were able to identify and apply Newton’s First Law of Motion to daily life relating to vehicles. The investigation also reinforced the importance of wearing seat belts, and Babylon Grade School Principal Randee Bonagura added that the experiment was a great way for the school to take part in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education. http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=8336 Sun, 16 Dec 2012 00:00:00 GMT The BHS Leo Club, part of Lions Club International, hosted its annual Dinner and Theater for senior citizens on Dec. 6 at Babylon High School. This event, a joint effort between the Leo Club and Drama Club, allowed local senior citizens the opportunity to have an enjoyable night out with dinner and a show. Last fall the event was attended by over 100 local community members, and the club served even more this year. Attendees were treated to a pasta dinner, complete with bread, salad, beverages and dessert. Directly after the meal, the Babylon Drama Club showed off their talents with a special performance of the musical “Bye Bye Birdie.” http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=8146 Thu, 06 Dec 2012 00:00:00 GMT Governor Andrew M. Cuomo has directed that flags on state government buildings be flown at half-staff on Monday, December 10, 2012 in honor of a Mechanicville Marine who died in Helmand Province, Afghanistan on December 2, 2012. Lance Cpl. Anthony J. Denier died while conducting combat operations. He was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 9th Marines, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, which is based at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. "I join with my fellow New Yorkers in mourning the loss of Lance Cpl. Denier,” Governor Cuomo said. “I extend my deepest sympathy to his family, friends, and fellow Marines. We will honor his service and sacrifice, and we are grateful for his dedication to our nation." Governor Cuomo has directed that the flags on all state buildings be lowered to half-staff in honor of and in tribute to our state's service members and those stationed in New York who are killed in action or die in a combat zone. Effective: Beginning of Business, Monday, December 10, 2012 Return to Full Staff: Sunset, Monday, December 10, 2012 http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=8154 Thu, 06 Dec 2012 00:00:00 GMT Babylon School District has launched a mobile version of its website. Accessible from any web-enabled phone or Smartphone, the site connects students, parents, community members and teachers, wherever they may be, with the Babylon School District. Visit http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/ from any web-enabled phone to test drive the site. The mobile website provides users with the same information as the regular website, such as news, calendar and staff lists. It also provides alerts in an easy-to-read manner. We hope this provides users with more on-the-go availability to the website. http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=8119 Thu, 06 Dec 2012 00:00:00 GMT Babylon recently completed what was perhaps the greatest single season in athletics in school history. The historic four-month stretch spawned two Long Island championships, a handful of Suffolk County titles, several divisional victories, numerous individual accolades, incredible team milestones, one Rutgers Trophy and a lifetime of memories. Boys varsity cross-country won the Suffolk Class C title and earned a NYSPHSAA Scholar-Athlete Team Award with a cumulative GPA of 97.212. Tyler McGarvey was named All-League, All-Division and All-County Academic and earned a spot in the New York State team qualifiers. Matthew Finelli, who shared the same honors as McGarvey, was also named All-County. Christopher Fenton was named All-League and also earned a spot in the New York State team qualifiers. Bryan Campbell, Will Grady, Cory Harberg and Nathan Tupper joined the aforementioned boys in the state qualifiers. Girls cross-country earned a NYSPHSAA Scholar-Athlete Team Award with a cumulative GPA of 96.514 and had two All-League athletes in RoseAnn Bencivenga and Meaghan Pashen. The Panthers varsity field hockey team won a Scholar-Athlete Team Award with a cumulative GPA of 96.057. Kerry Glenday was named All-County, and Erin Going, Michelle Mangini and Miranda Richards earned All-League honors. The Panthers football team went undefeated, won the Long Island championship and earned the Rutgers Cup for being the most outstanding football team in Suffolk County. Babylon football was a scholar-athlete team with a cumulative GPA of 93.753. Jake Carlock, Joe Cosby, Jeann Cruz, John Dertinger, Nick Santorelli, Eric Schweitzer, Kevin Smith, Andrew Watson and Luke Zappia were recognized as an All-Division first team, and Brian LosKamp, Matt Pinto and Alec Zamet took All-Division second team honors. Carlock (All-County, All-Long Island), Cruz (All-County), Santorelli (All-County), Schweitzer (All-County, Second Team All-Long Island) and Watson (All-County) earned additional honors. Panthers head coach Rick Punzone was recognized as Suffolk County Coach of the Year, and Zamet earned an additional honor with recognition as a National Football Foundation Scholar-Athlete. Babylon’s gymnastics team earned a Scholar-Athlete Team Award with a cumulative GPA of 95.450. Elizabeth Logan, Caitlin Morgan, Samantha Sasso and Alexandra Singleton were named All-League, and Erica Baroncelli was All-League Honorable Mention. Genny Gravina, Mikaila Hartigan, Shannon Hopkins and Kayla McCarthy were named to the All-County list. McCarthy, a scholar-athlete, also earned All-New York State honors. The Panthers boys soccer team earned a Scholar-Athlete Team Award with a GPA of 93.375 and had three All-League players (Stacey Henry, Alex Malhas and Brendan McGaley). Sean Reis earned Academic All-County honors. Babylon’s girls soccer team was the Suffolk Class B champ and finished with a 96.6 GPA to earn a Scholar-Athlete Team Award. Rachel Gregory, Kaileen Hart and Shannon Hartigan went All-League, with Shelby Fredericks taking home All-New York State honors and recognition as Suffolk League IV Player of the Year. Standout goalkeeper Hannah McGlinchey and senior striker CarolAnne Murphy were named to the All-Conference list. Babylon swimming also had a successful season, with Julianne Koch taking first place in the county in the 200-freestyle and 100-backstroke. Koch also competed at the New York State level, finishing in the top 10 in the state in both the 200-freestyle and 100-backstroke events. In girls varsity tennis, the team earned the highly coveted Suffolk League IV Sportsmanship Award, along with a Scholar-Athlete Team Award for having a cumulative GPA of 94.632. The Panthers volleyball team, which won its first Long Island championship in program history, earned a Scholar-Athlete Team Award with a cumulative GPA of 95.796. Brianna Goodfellow (All-League, All-Tournament county team, League IV Defensive Player of the Year, NYS championship All-Tournament team), Nicole Marro (All-League), Elizabeth Tighe (All-League, All-Tournament county team), Mary Tighe (All-League, All-Tournament county team, county championship MVP) and Margot Zamet (All-League) were honored. http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=8128 Wed, 05 Dec 2012 00:00:00 GMT Pursuant to a Presidential Proclamation, flags must be flown at half staff in remembrance of Pearl Harbor Day - December 7th. Effective: Beginning of Business, Friday, December 7, 2012 Return to Full Staff: Sunset, Friday, December 7, 2012 http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=8118 Wed, 05 Dec 2012 00:00:00 GMT Dozens of students and Babylon district faculty were on hand for the Dec. 3 board of education meeting, during which the board members were recognized for their hard work and dedication to the students and community. Superintendent of Schools Richard S. Rozakis opened the evening by expressing his gratitude to the dedicated group of Babylon board members who volunteer their time to lead the district in a positive direction. “The Babylon community parents, staff and students extend their thanks for your tireless and voluntary efforts,” Rozakis said. “We congratulate you on the occasion of school board recognition.” The Babylon school board meets at least twice a month throughout the year, giving their own time as unpaid elected trustees to make decisions about educational policy. Decisions made by the school board ultimately lead to Babylon students receiving the best education possible. They do it because they care about the students, the local community and the quality of education the students in Babylon receive. Each of the three district principals presented the board members with tokens of appreciation, including artwork created by elementary and grade school students. While Babylon’s younger students were not in attendance, Babylon Memorial Grade School Principal Randee Bonagura and Babylon Elementary School Principal Dana Basile were there on behalf of the children. Later in the evening, Babylon High School Principal Al Cirone, with the assistance of fine arts director Angela Turk, announced that high school students would be giving the board “the gift of music.” Babylon’s high school string ensemble, as well as several wind musicians, performed a medley of holiday classics, much to the delight of the school board and meeting attendees. http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=8091 Tue, 04 Dec 2012 00:00:00 GMT In recognition of what was perhaps the greatest single season in the history of Babylon High School athletics, the board of education presented dozens of varsity athletes with congratulatory certificates at its meeting on Dec. 3 in the high school library. Looking back on the fall sports season, there were several team and individual accomplishments that will not soon be forgotten. Babylon’s girls volleyball team coasted past Oyster Bay, 3-0, on Nov. 13 to secure their first Long Island championship in program history. Babylon’s girls soccer team also made a deep run into the playoffs, edging Center Moriches, 1-0, on Nov. 9 in the Suffolk Class C championship game. Additionally, Babylon’s boys cross-country team won the Suffolk Class C championship and participated in the New York State championships in Buffalo, N.Y. Lastly, the Panthers football team capped the fall season with a convincing victory over Roosevelt in the Long Island Class IV championship game on Dec. 1 at Stony Brook University. There’s no “I” in team, but it’s hard to overlook the stellar individual efforts of the district’s varsity student-athletes this fall season. Among the notable individual achievements and standout performances included Eric Schweitzer’s six rushing touchdowns in the LIC championship game, tying a longstanding Long Island record for rushing touchdowns in a football championship, and Shelby Fredericks’ game-winning goal in the Suffolk Class B girls soccer final. In girls gymnastics, Genny Gravina, Mikaila Hartigan, Shannon Hopkins and Kayla McCarthy represented Babylon at the Suffolk championships, and McCarthy’s superb performance earned her a spot in the state championships slated for this spring. Standout swimmer Julianne Koch also represented Babylon at a New York State-level championship competition, swimming in the 200-freestyle and 100-backstroke events. “I’m very pleased to announce the recognition of our student-athletes,” Superintendent of Schools Richard S. Rozakis said at the Dec. 3 school board meeting. “They have all had successful, winning seasons in their respective sports.” Rozakis called upon district athletic director Michael DeJoseph to hand out certificates to the athletes, and the school board members assisted with the athlete recognition portion of the meeting. Students had the opportunity to accept a certificate, shake hands with their coaches and school board members, and receive a round of warm applause from the crowd in attendance. http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=8093 Tue, 04 Dec 2012 00:00:00 GMT Babylon earned its first Rutgers Trophy in program history on Dec. 3 at the Suffolk County Football Coaches Association dinner in Hauppauge. The trophy is given annually to the most outstanding football team in Suffolk County, and Babylon edged three tough candidates to take home the award this year. The Panthers received 32 of 49 first-place votes for a total of 119 points, well ahead of the Floyd Colonials (86) and third-place Sayville Golden Flashes (80). Additionally, Panthers head coach Rick Punzone was named Coach of the Year, standout wide receiver Jake Carlock made First Team All-Long Island, and Eric Schweitzer was named MVP of the Long Island Class IV championship game after he rushed for six touchdowns to tie a long-standing Long Island record. Babylon, which went undefeated 12-0 this year, capped an historic season with a 48-18 victory over Roosevelt in the Long Island Class IV championship on Dec. 1. http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=8094 Tue, 04 Dec 2012 00:00:00 GMT There was no stopping Babylon’s Eric Schweitzer (126 yards on 18 carries) in the Long Island Class IV title game on Dec. 1 at Stony Brook University’s LaValle Stadium. Schweitzer, a standout junior running back, led the Panthers to a 48-18 victory over the Nassau County champion Roosevelt Rough Riders by notching six rushing touchdowns, which tied him with two former Long Island football standouts for most rushing scores in a Long Island championship game. Babylon and Roosevelt met three times in the LIC since 1997, with each game decided by 16 points or less. On Dec. 1, the Panthers proved that the fourth meeting between the two storied rivals would be more decisive. Babylon opened a 34-6 lead by the half, and Schweitzer sealed the victory with two rushing touchdowns in the fourth quarter. Quarterback Nick Santorelli added 136 yards on 12 carries, and showed off his arm with 81 passing yards. The victory earned the Panthers (12-0) their fifth Long Island football championship in program history. http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=8041 Sun, 02 Dec 2012 00:00:00 GMT The Board of Education will be recognized on Monday, December 3rd at 7:30 p.m. in the high school library. The Babylon Community parents, staff, and students extend our thanks for your tireless and voluntary efforts on our behalf. We congratulate you on the occasion of School Board Recognition. http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=8000 Wed, 28 Nov 2012 00:00:00 GMT Kirby Pereira, a clinical pathologist from the American Society for Clinical Pathology, visited Babylon High School on Nov. 28 to provide a lesson to science research students about life as a medical laboratory specialist. She also detailed the steps that must be taken by students who desire careers in that field in New York State. Pereira, who works for the Catholic Health Services of Long Island as a medical laboratory scientist specializing in microbiology, spoke at length about the various tests conducted in the field and described the patient-doctor interactions commonly dealt with in hospitals and medical labs. “There is a very high demand for medical laboratory scientists at this time, and the field is rapidly expanding,” said Babylon High School science research teacher Claire Birone. “The students left the presentation with a greater understanding what goes on behind the scenes at hospitals and what actually happens when doctors order tests to be run on patients. They also became more aware of careers in the sciences that will enable them to use their STEM training as part of the workforce.” Pereira’s lesson included a brief PowerPoint presentation as well as simulated pathology tests such as blood typing and urinalysis. The students were given the opportunity to assist Pereira with the simulated tests. http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=8005 Wed, 28 Nov 2012 00:00:00 GMT The Panthers varsity football team (11-0) extended their historic undefeated season on Nov. 25, edging the Mt. Sinai Mustangs, 21-7, in the Suffolk Division IV championship game at Stony Brook University. Standout quarterback Nick Santorelli opened the Panthers’ scoring with a nine-yard touchdown run in the first quarter, adding 128 passing yards to lead Babylon to its first Suffolk County title since 2008. Babylon, which stormed into the Suffolk IV playoff bracket as the No. 1 seed, also saw key contributions from Jake Carlock and Eric Schweitzer, among others. Carlock caught a 53-yard touchdown pass in the third quarter to give Babylon a 14-7 advantage, and Schweitzer scored on a 10-yard run in the fourth to seal the victory. Babylon advances to face the Nassau champion Roosevelt Rough Riders on Dec. 1 at Stony Brook University for a chance to hoist the Long Island Class IV championship trophy. http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=7974 Tue, 27 Nov 2012 00:00:00 GMT Second-graders from Babylon Elementary School performed Thanksgiving-themed songs and enjoyed a holiday feast on Nov. 21 in the school cafeteria. The students performed “The Thanksgiving Boogie” and “The 12 Days of Thanksgiving” in front of a captivated audience of Babylon Elementary School kindergarteners, and then dined on tasty Thanksgiving treats. Many of the second-graders got into the holiday spirit by wearing decorative Pilgrim and Native American hats they had crafted during art class. The Thanksgiving celebration is an annual event at Babylon Elementary School, and school principal Dana Basile used this year’s feast to lend a helping hand to Babylon families that were affected by Hurricane Sandy. While the students were given the opportunity to celebrate and enjoy each other’s company, Mrs. Basile also set aside a portion of the event to offer the second-graders a chance to brainstorm new ideas on how they can help Babylon families in need. http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=7973 Mon, 26 Nov 2012 00:00:00 GMT A Message from Superintendent of Schools Richard S. Rozakis What kind of education do the children of Babylon deserve? When your sons and daughters leave the house on their way to school, they are embarking on a new adventure. Their teachers are working hard to bring them fresh, exciting and interesting lessons. They are going to hear, see and experience things that may be brand new to them. They will be challenged to think analytically and solve problems. They will be asked to communicate effectively both orally and in writing. Your children are encouraged to work collaboratively, are challenged to question the source of information and to evaluate its validity. They read for information, and present arguments or explanations based on what they have read. They are asked to articulate well-informed opinions and to back their convictions with facts. They are constantly exposed to new vocabulary, which expands their use of the language. Every learning experience helps them connect and transfer ideas and concepts so what they are learning becomes the foundation for what they will learn tomorrow. What I have been describing is known as the Common Core Learning Standards, and they are the bedrock of a 21st century education. The Common Core prepares students to pursue lifelong learning, develop deep interests and habits of mind, and decipher from the overload of daily information those things which matter most, in order to live prosperous and enriched lives and remain informed citizens. This is the education that your children deserve - just as much as they deserve, and receive, a safe and supportive school environment, teachers who are talented and dedicated and administrators who care about them as individual people and not test scores. They also deserve a daily school experience that brings them that “aha!” moment of discovery and satisfaction that accompanies the completion of rigorous work. With that, they will get the guidance and support they need along the way. I am ever mindful that we are educating the next generation of visionaries, innovators, artists and leaders. I am ever vigilant for new ideas that work to improve the educational experience of ALL children. I recently read in the Fall 2012 edition of Scholastic Administrator that according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 20.5 million new jobs will be added to the U.S. economy by 2020. Among these will be 3.5 million in health care, 1.4 million in design and construction and nearly one million in computer and information technology. Our students are already poised to have their pick of these careers because of the top-rate 21st century education they are receiving right now. We are counting on parents and relatives to play a vital role in every student’s education. We need adults to have conversations that help young people develop well-informed opinions and critical decisions by using evidence and pursue their interests with knowledge and self-confidence. Encourage your children to read newspapers and magazines and to watch the news with you; then have discussions about the information they have seen and heard. Have serious dialogues about what sites your older children visit on the Internet and what they are learning from these visits. Ask your children every day, “What did you learn in school today?” and do not accept the standard, “Oh, nothing” as an answer. Ask students why they think what they’re learning is important and help them make connections between school and life. Lastly, celebrate your children’s’ successes, large and small. Children should be congratulated for learning something new, for trying something outside of their comfort zone and for applying themselves to their work every day. Tell them how proud you are of them. They deserve it. http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=8007 Sun, 25 Nov 2012 00:00:00 GMT Students from Babylon Elementary School have been generously donating leftover portions of their lunch money this month in support of Babylon families that were affected by Hurricane Sandy. There is plenty of time left to lend a helping hand, as Babylon Elementary School Principal Dana Basile announced that the school will be accepting donations until the end of the school year. Babylon Elementary School staffers have also been giving generously this holiday season. The staff held its annual Thanksgiving luncheon on Nov. 19 and continued its tradition of collecting nonperishable foods that will be donated to Babylon families in need. http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=7856 Mon, 19 Nov 2012 00:00:00 GMT The Babylon Panthers varsity gymnastics team held its own against several of the top squads from across the region on Nov. 13 in the Suffolk County gymnastics championships at Babylon High School. Babylon junior Kayla McCarthy scored a 9.15 on the vault to take sixth place in the event. McCarthy’s high score earned her a spot in the New York State gymnastics championship, which is slated for March 2, 2013. She will join 10 other elite gymnasts from across Suffolk County as part of the Section XI gymnastics team competing against teams from other counties in New York State. Three other gymnasts represented Babylon High School at the Suffolk County championships, including Genny Gravina (all-around), Mikaila Hartigan (vault) and Shannon Hopkins (floor). Babylon’s varsity gymnastics team finished its season with a record of seven wins and three losses in League I. They finished third in the county, just behind Smithtown and Ward Melville, at the team championships held on Nov. 8. Juniors Lizzy Logan, Caitlin Morgan and Samantha Sasso and eighth-grader Alex Singleton were named All-League, and senior Erica Baroncelli was named Honorable Mention All-League. http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=7800 Thu, 15 Nov 2012 00:00:00 GMT Babylon High School senior attacker Devyn Antolini signed a National Letter of Intent on Nov. 15 to play lacrosse at Marquette University. A standout multi-sport athlete, Antolini notched at least one goal or assist in each of the Lady Panthers’ 17 lacrosse games last season, and she is expected to make an immediate impact for Marquette’s offense when she joins the team next year. Antolini’s superb field vision and prowess on offense helped guide the Lady Panthers to the Suffolk Class C semifinals last year, as she tallied a team high in points on five separate occasions. She is also an exceptional talent on the basketball court. Antolini is excited to join a Marquette Golden Eagles women’s lacrosse team that is heading into its first regular season in program history. Marquette is using its inaugural season to see how it stacks up against top-level national competition, and the team is slated to join the Big East Conference full-time in 2014. “It’s a new program that has a great coaching staff,” Antolini said of her decision to sign with Marquette. “I’m very excited to play at the next level. I also decided to attend Marquette because I loved the campus and superb academic offerings.” http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=7815 Thu, 15 Nov 2012 00:00:00 GMT Babylon Memorial Grade School is teaming up with DoSomething.org this month for the sixth annual “Tweens for Jeans” campaign to benefit American homeless youth. Thousands of homeless people in the United States are under the age of 18, and one of the first items they ask for when reaching a shelter is a pair of jeans. To lend a helping hand, Babylon students set up jean collection bins in the grade school's front lobby and asked friends, family and classmates to donate pairs of gently worn jeans. In the first five years of this nationwide initiative, over 2.5 million jeans have been collected and donated, and the early indications are that the 2012-13 campaign will be the biggest yet. The grade school is collecting jeans until further notice, and the donations will be disseminated to local homeless shelters. "It's a great program to help people in need," said Babylon Memorial Grade School Principal Randee Bonagura. "It also connects with our site-based committee's initiative of reducing, reusing and recycling. It's another way to reuse and repurpose items for the benefit of others." http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=7816 Thu, 15 Nov 2012 00:00:00 GMT Babylon Grade School students, parents and teachers are collecting items this month in support of those who were impacted by the devastating effects of Hurricane Sandy. The school is accepting donations of school supplies, laundry detergent, games, crafts, and nonperishable foods, as well as comfort kit supplies like shampoo, conditioner, tissues, washcloths, body wash, toothbrushes, toothpaste and deodorant. Donation bins are located in the lobby of Babylon Grade School. http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=7817 Thu, 15 Nov 2012 00:00:00 GMT The Babylon High School Leo Club, part of Lions Club International, is pleased to host its annual Dinner and Theater for senior citizens. This event, a joint effort between the Leo Club and Drama Club at Babylon High School, allows local senior citizens the opportunity to have a night out and enjoy dinner and a show. Last fall the event was attended by over 100 local community members, and the club hopes to serve even more people this year. This year’s event will take place on Thursday, Dec. 6. A pasta dinner accompanied by bread, salad, beverages and dessert will be served at 3:45 p.m., followed by the musical “Bye Bye Birdie,” performed by the Babylon Drama Club, at 5 p.m. For large groups (5+), please call Karin Colletti at 631-893-7920 to RSVP. http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=7789 Wed, 14 Nov 2012 00:00:00 GMT The Babylon Lady Panthers (9-2 conf, 17-2 overall) girls volleyball team defeated the Nassau County champion Oyster Bay Lady Baymen, 3-0, on Nov. 13 in the Long Island Class C championship game at Carle Place High School. According to Lady Panthers coach Patrick Donaldson, the Long Island championship is Babylon’s first in school history. Senior Mary Tighe, along with Brianna Goodfellow, Nicole Marro and Lizzy Tighe, set the tone early for Babylon, which coasted to a 25-16 win in the opening set. The Lady Panthers went on to take the next two frames, 25-20, 26-24, for a convincing victory in straight sets. Babylon advances to the New York State Class C volleyball tournament, which takes place Nov. 17 in Glens Falls, N.Y. http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=7771 Tue, 13 Nov 2012 00:00:00 GMT The Babylon Panthers (13-3-1) girls soccer team edged the top-seeded Center Moriches Lady Red Devils, 1-0, on Nov. 9 at Center Moriches High School to win the Suffolk Class B title. Babylon, heading into the game ranked No. 2 in the Suffolk Class B bracket, snapped a scoreless tie with 25 minutes left in the second half when junior striker Shelby Fredericks found the back of the net on a crisp feed from Carolanne Murphy. Senior goalkeeper Hannah McGlinchey made 17 saves for her fifth shutout of the season and first of the playoffs. The Panthers advance to the Long Island Class B championship game, Nov. 13 at 3 p.m. at Dowling. http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=7733 Mon, 12 Nov 2012 00:00:00 GMT Hello, our return to school this week went smoothly. Even with an obnoxious snowstorm and the incessant gas lines, we were fully staffed and your children’s excellent education continued without further interruption. Normalcy is returning. Four of our Varsity teams are in the play-offs right now and games are proceeding. Our high school musical, Bye, Bye Birdie, is in rehearsal and promises to be a sensation! Our grade school will be open this Saturday from 11 am to 3 pm for children to come and socialize, and for parents and siblings to join in if they desire. Our elementary school will begin extended mornings and afternoons beginning Tuesday, November 13. I wish to alert you to two important new Quick Links on our district website’s homepage: · We have made available a comprehensive guidebook entitled A Guide to Disaster Assistance and Relief Funding that was provided by Senator Kirsten Gillibrand’s office. This helpful resource provides useful information for obtaining the kinds of assistance to which you may be entitled. · A second link will help you if you need assistance providing breakfast and lunch to your children due to a change in status brought about by the storm. I am also happy to share with you below a letter from Babylon Helps, our local relief effort centered in the American Legion Hall on Grove St. As you probably know, scores of caring volunteers have been steadily providing hot meals, clothing, school supplies and so much more to our friends and neighbors who need a helping hand. It truly takes a Village to make a difference. We are rising up from the storm slowly but surely and no doubt we will be stronger and better for having endured. We are that Village! We are dauntless! We are Babylon! Sincerely, Richard Rozakis Superintendent of Schools BABYLON HELPS NOVEMBER 10, 11, 12 Dear Friends, We continued providing hot food, cleaning supplies and clothing through the Nor'ester on Tuesday and Wednesday at the American Legion Hall at 22 Grove Place. We will there today (Friday, Nov. 9) from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. preparing for what promises to be a big weekend for cleanup. Here are some key points for this weekend (more to follow): We will need volunteers this weekend for clean up crews. We have compiled a list of people requesting help, and crews will meet on Saturday at the Legion Hall at 9 a.m. If you know someone who needs help, pls let us know. We also will need volunteers to help at the hall and to deliver food around town. While we are no longer accepting donations other than cleaning supplies (bleach, gloves, masks, paper towels, mops, contractor bags, etc.) we could use soups or trays of hot food for Saturday. We have heard repeatedly that the hot soup and meals have helped those who are cleaning up. We will not be using the main Legion Hall on Sunday, Nov. 11, as the Legion will host its Veteran's Day Memorial. Pls try to attend the ceremony at 11 a.m. if possible, and stay for some food afterward. The Legion's support of this effort has been extraordinary, and it would be great if we can bring a big crowd to honor the Legion and our veterans. On Sunday, volunteer crews will meet briefly at 9 a.m. in the parking lot behind the Legion Hall. On Saturday, Nov. 10, Babylon Grade School -- gym, library, cafeteria -- will be open from 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. The school administration and teachers are volunteering their time and will supervise children who want to warm up, play games or just spend some time together. Students can be dropped off, and parents and siblings are welcome. Debbie Bonventre will be opening her NY state-licensed Home Day Care this Saturday and Sunday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. "for anyone with children 6 weeks to 6 years old who needs to work their homes or help others effected by Hurricane Sandy. This will be completely free. If you have older children please let me know, if we have enough we will open somewhere else for them. Along with my staff and Juliettes Girl Scouts, we will be well staffed and qualified. If you need help call Debbie Bonventre at 943-3465 or email cadiroze@aol.com." Three Babylon locations continue to serve as warming/charging centers -- the Legion Hall (which opens at 9 a.m.), Babylon Village Hall and St. Joseph's RC Church. Hot showers are available to all at the YMCA in Bay Shore and LA Fitness in West Babylon (near McDonald's), St. Vincent de Paul (631-669-0068 ext. 157).Please send any questions to bv.sandy.relief@gmail.com or call 631-752-8842. http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=7665 Fri, 09 Nov 2012 00:00:00 GMT Hello. This is Richard Rozakis, Superintendent of Babylon schools with important information for district residents with school age children who are living in temporary housing due to the storm. As we plan to re-open our schools on Wednesday November 7th, I want to make sure that every child who deserves transportation to school will be accommodated. · Your family may be residing in temporary housing within the Babylon district in a location that already qualifies for busing based on the District's policy · Your family may be residing in temporary housing outside the Babylon district and the location qualifies for transportation based on the District's policy · Your children normally receive bus service but you have other children staying with you If any of these situations apply to you, please visit our district website and click on the tab marked transport@babylon under Quick links. Fill out the attached form and email it to transport@babylonufsd.org or return it to the Transportation Office located at the High School or e-mail the following information to transport@babylonufsd.org. Name of parent/guardian, address of your permanent residence, address of the temporary housing, name and grade level of each school age child, contact phone number and e-mail address. Recovery is a slow and frustrating process, but I know that the people of Babylon are strong and resilient and will get through this together. I eagerly await the opportunity to welcome your children back to school this Wednesday. http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=7512 Sat, 03 Nov 2012 00:00:00 GMT Over 100 students and parents enjoyed a variety of literacy activities together on Oct. 17 at Babylon Memorial Grade School’s annual Family Game Night. The families in attendance had the opportunity to play games like Scattergories, Scrabble Slam, Upwords, Apples to Apples Junior, Wheel of Fortune, Hedbanz and Boggle as a fun way to improve the children’s vocabulary, spelling and critical thinking abilities. At the end of the evening, students were given a packet to take home with fun literacy activities like Mad Lib, Word Search and Boggle Board. Babylon Memorial Grade School Principal Randee Bonagura announced that the grade school plans to hold another game night later this year featuring activities that will help students build math concepts. http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=7343 Thu, 18 Oct 2012 00:00:00 GMT The Babylon Panthers (6-0) celebrated homecoming on Oct. 13 with a convincing 37-8 victory over the previously unbeaten Hampton Bays Baymen. Babylon, which extended its midseason win streak to six games, gained sole possession of first place in the stacked Suffolk IV conference with a dominating performance that moved the team a half-game ahead of Shoreham-Wading River. The Panthers opened a 30-8 lead by halftime on an 87-yard kickoff touchdown return by Eric Schweitzer and two rushing touchdowns from Luke Zappia. Schweitzer, who rushed 12 times for 94 yards, tacked on a 5-yard rushing touchdown in the third stanza to cap the scoring for Babylon. Prior to the game, hundreds of spectators lined the sidewalks of Deer Park Avenue for the annual homecoming parade. This year, the parade featured the Babylon High School marching band, the cast of the high school production of “Bye, Bye Birdie,” Babylon JV and varsity cheerleaders, the Babylon High School kickline, the Memorial Grade School marching band, Babylon High School’s drama club, over a dozen youth league football players and members of the high school homecoming court. Each class from Babylon High School created unique floats to ride on during the parade, which they designed around this year’s theme of “The Four Elements.” The senior class took home the award for best float with a dazzling creation that featured a wave, a surfboard and sand. In other matters, Patrick Drennan and Caroline Figoski were named homecoming king and queen. This year’s homecoming festivities also included a Chili and Chowder Cook-off to determine which of the 10 participating local restaurants had the best chili and chowder in Babylon Village. Guest judges included Superintendent of Schools Richard Rozakis, Babylon High School Principal Al Cirone and Babylon Village Mayor Ralph Scordino. http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=7237 Sun, 14 Oct 2012 00:00:00 GMT Babylon high school students Samantha Gerdes, Kathryn Oman, Matthew Taggart and Colleen McKeown were chosen to participate in the 2012 New York State Council of Administrators of Music Education/Suffolk County Music Educators Association’s High School All-County Music Festival, which will be held on Nov. 16 at Northport High School. Oman was also selected as an All-State alternate. These four talented students were selected to participate in the All-County festival from a pool of hundreds of high school juniors and seniors throughout Suffolk County, and their selection was based on a variety of factors. To earn one of the highly-coveted spots in the festival, students needed the highest level of recommendation from their high school music instructor as well as high scores at the New York State School Music Association festival. “On behalf of the music department, I would like to congratulate these hardworking and dedicated students that have been selected to participate in the 2012 NYSCAME/SCMEA All-County Festival,” said Babylon Director of Fine Arts Angela Turk. “This is a great honor and one that recognizes these students as among the best musicians in the county. The district is extremely proud of their accomplishments.” Babylon’s fine arts department is also pleased to announce that Babylon High School students Genny Gravina, Carolanne Murphy and Miranda Richards were selected to have their artwork displayed at the New York State School Boards Association conference, which will be held later this year in Rochester, N.Y. http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=7246 Sat, 13 Oct 2012 00:00:00 GMT Babylon High School students Genny Gravina, Carolanne Murphy and Miranda Richards were selected to have their artwork displayed at the New York State School Boards Association conference, which will take place later this year in Rochester, N.Y. The NYSSBA conference will have an exhibit featuring some of the best student-created artwork from across the state. A reception will be held for the student artists and they will receive a certificate for their participation. The Babylon School District will also receive a seal of distinction for the students’ artwork that was chosen for the exhibit. “We are so excited to have had three students’ artwork selected to be displayed at the NYSSBA conference,” said Babylon Director of Fine Arts Angela Turk. “The district is extremely proud of these students’ accomplishments. It is a highly coveted honor that recognizes some of the best artists in New York State.” Babylon’s fine arts and music department is also pleased to announce that Babylon High School students Samantha Gerdes, Kathryn Oman and Matthew Taggart were chosen to participate in the 2012 New York State Council of Administrators of Music Education/Suffolk County Music Educators Association’s High School All-County Music Festival, which will be held on Nov. 16 at Northport High School. http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=7247 Sat, 13 Oct 2012 00:00:00 GMT The Babylon Panthers girls and boys soccer teams both took the field at Babylon High School on Oct. 12 for the 11th annual “Soccer Under the Lights” honoring the life and memory of Randy Zwerlein, a beloved Babylon community member who tragically passed away in 2002. Zwerlein, a father of two graduates of the district, was known by friends, family and the community as a dedicated volunteer who spent countless hours lending a hand to the Babylon Soccer Club, Babylon Lions Club and many other local organizations. He was also married to Babylon Memorial Grade School fifth-grade teacher Rayna Zwerlein, who has been co-organizing “Soccer Under the Lights” each year since 2002. According to Mrs. Zwerlein, Randy was passionate about youth sports and volunteering, and “Soccer Under the Lights” puts athletics in the spotlight of the community while also honoring the spirit of volunteerism. Proceeds from the event, hosted by the Randy Zwerlein “Under the Lights” Committee in association with the Babylon Booster Club, help support scholarships given in Randy Zwerlein’s memory as well as raise funding for future night games. http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=7251 Sat, 13 Oct 2012 00:00:00 GMT http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=7167 Tue, 09 Oct 2012 00:00:00 GMT The district kicked off National Fire Prevention Week by welcoming firemen from the local fire department to the Memorial Grade School on Oct. 5. During an interactive assembly in the grade school gym to open the presentation, the students learned various facts relating to fire prevention and safety. Later in the program, students were shown how to properly ‘stop, drop and roll’ during a home fire. The brave Babylon firefighters also discussed the importance of smoke detectors in the home and how to dial 911 in case of emergency. According to NFPA.org, the theme of this year’s National Fire Prevention Week is “Have Two Ways Out!” to focus on the importance of fire escape planning and practice. With that theme in mind, the firefighters showed the students how to plan a home escape route to get out quickly if a smoke alarm sounds, and to have a backup plan if the first escape route is blocked by smoke or flames. “Thank you to the firemen from Babylon Fire Department for taking the time out to visit our school,” Memorial Grade School Principal Dr. Randee Bonagura said. “It was a wonderful way to get National Fire Prevention Week off on the right foot. Our students gained a new perspective on fire safety and prevention.” National Fire Prevention Week officially runs until Oct. 13. http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=7126 Sun, 07 Oct 2012 00:00:00 GMT Students from Babylon Elementary School walked to school on Oct. 3 as part of International Walk to School Day, an initiative created to improve neighborhood connections, promote physical activity and create a cleaner environment. According to WalkBikeToSchool.org, International Walk to School Day began in the United States in 1997 as a one-day event aimed at building awareness for the need for walkable communities. The event became international in 2000 when England and Canada joined the effort. Communities and schools are using the day as a first step in changing community culture, and to create options for getting to school that are more inviting for families. Not only does walking bring a sense of joy and independence, it’s also a chance for students and their parents to get the physical activity they need. Walking to school can also create a cleaner environment by reducing traffic congestion and air-polluting car emissions, while also boosting a sense of community. The Babylon School District is committed to helping promote a cleaner environment, and enjoying International Walk to School Day is one of many green initiatives it takes part in. “International Walk to School Day is a great event that we participate in every year,” Babylon Elementary School Principal Dana Basile said. “We had several staff members greeting families as they arrived in the front circle of the school, and the students received stickers showing their participation in the event.” http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=7104 Wed, 03 Oct 2012 00:00:00 GMT Babylon High School Principal Al Cirone announced on Oct. 3 that Babylon seniors Delaney Cassidy, Kelly Corcoran and Christopher Fenton have been named Commended Students in the 2013 National Merit Scholarship Program. To earn the Commended distinction, students had to place among the top five percent of the 1.5 million who entered the competition. Students entered the program by taking the 2011 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test, and a select group of approximately 34,000 across the nation were officially “commended.” A letter of commendation from the National Merit Scholarship Corporation was presented by Mr. Cirone, Superintendent Richard Rozakis and Babylon High School guidance counselor Suzanne Murphy to the three talented Babylon seniors who qualified. “We are all so proud of our Commended Students,” Ms. Murphy said. “It is a great honor, and we look forward to hearing what colleges they plan to attend in the fall.” http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=7103 Tue, 02 Oct 2012 00:00:00 GMT “Nature” Nick Jacinto, one of the most well-known animal handlers in the New York tri-state area, paid a visit to Babylon Memorial Grade School on Aug. 3 to teach Lisa Necroto and Eileen Ratto’s students a lesson on ‘animal adventures.’ Jacinto and his animals have appeared on numerous television shows, including “Good Morning America” and “The Martha Stewart Show.” His event appearances include animals from all corners of the world, and he arrived to the grade school with a lemur, a parrot, a snake, a hedgehog, twin baby alligators and a wallaby, each of which are animals the students learned about during summer classes. “As a culmination of our summer animal study, students were able to see, touch and learn more about the animals they had researched in books and on the Internet,” Mrs. Ratto said. “All of our students were thrilled to see the animals they had learned so much about up close in our very own gym, and Nick was especially impressed with the students' knowledge of each of the animals.” http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=6980 Tue, 25 Sep 2012 00:00:00 GMT From Superintendent of Schools Richard Rozakis I am writing to inform you that one of our high school student-athletes has been diagnosed with MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus). The student is being treated at home with antibiotics and is doing well. The district continues to take proactive measures to prevent the spread of this staph infection including thoroughly cleaning the locker rooms, gyms, and rest rooms with a disinfectant that is effective in eliminating MRSA. The primary preventative measure is to follow good personal hygiene including frequent and effective hand washing and the appropriate care of wounds. Any student with an open wound or sore should be evaluated by a health care provider to ensure that it is being treated properly. Understandably, this situation is a concern to all of us; however, the district is acting in a vigilant and proactive manner to maximize our ability to contain the spread of MRSA through a regular regiment of cleaning and disinfecting our facilities. If you have any additional questions, we recommend that you contact your family physician. http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=6925 Thu, 20 Sep 2012 00:00:00 GMT Lou Del Bianco, an award-winning children’s storyteller and musician, performed traditional American folk songs and tall tales during a special cultural arts assembly, “Celebrate America,” on Sept. 14 at Babylon Elementary School. Del Bianco has been performing children’s music since the 1980s, and his wealth of experience shined through in a dazzling 50-minute performance that captivated the imagination of the districct’s young students. His engaging storytelling style helped the students learn about our nation’s rich American folklore in a fun, interactive way that they will remember for years to come. His performance included original adaptations of timeless American classics like “Oh! Susanna,” “This Land Is Your Land” and “I’ve Been Working on the Railroad,” along with the telling of America’s most beloved tall tales. Del Bianco invited several audience members to the stage to help him perform segments of his set, and his contagious enthusiasm inspired the students to truly connect with their American history and cultural arts curriculum. Through the use of storytelling, theater and music, Del Bianco brought to life several legends of American folklore, including Sally Ann Thunder Ann Whirlwind, Davy Crockett and Paul Bunyan, utilizing the characters to teach a lesson on the geography of the United States. “The ‘Celebrate America’ program is all about the folktales, legends and folksongs that contributed to the fabric of our country,” Del Bianco said. “I hope to leave the students with at least one thing they didn’t already know about America.” Babylon Elementary School Principal Dana Basile added, “As our nation mourns the victims of 9/11 this week, we felt it would be nice for the students to learn about and celebrate the songs and stories that helped shape America. Mr. Del Bianco is a very talented performer and he inspired our students immensely.” http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=6872 Sun, 16 Sep 2012 00:00:00 GMT Superintendent of Schools Richard Rozakis was on hand to welcome students, teachers and administrators back to the classrooms on Sept. 6, as the district opened its doors on another new school year. Mr. Rozakis, who comes to Babylon after serving as assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction in the Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District, was excited to get the year off to a positive start, and he kicked off the first day of classes by touring each of the three schools in the district to greet students, parents and faculty. The first day of class went off without a hitch, as Babylon principals Al Cirone, Dana Basile and Randee Bonagura reported that buses were fully operational and running on schedule, and that students were excited to begin their studies. “Today we welcome back all of our students and staff,” stated Mr. Rozakis. “We are very happy and excited to have them back. It’s the first step to a very wonderful journey to come.” http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=6764 Thu, 06 Sep 2012 00:00:00 GMT Superintendent of Schools Richard Rozakis got the new school year off to a positive start by honoring 18 of the district’s longest-tenured employees at Superintendent’s Conference Day on Sept. 4 at Babylon High School’s Rowe Hall. Frank Suriano and Nelson Torres were honored for their 30 years of service to the Babylon schools. Marion Augello-Talbot, Rosanne Corso, Lois Feinstein, Suzanne Murphy, Joseph Rossi, Hans Wiederkehr and Vince Whitnum received a warm round of applause for serving the district for 25 years, and Gerard Grant, Jane Herbst, Jeff Kenney, Stephanie Lowe, Eric Reisert, Kathy Reynolds, Corinne Samon, Valerie Schultheis and Jeff Wood were recognized for 20 years of service. Rozakis told the staff on hand that he spent much of the summer learning the norms and culture of the district and meeting with the people he’ll be working with this year. “[I’ve been] working hard to prepare for you to come back, so that you have all the support that you need and get going from day one,” he said. “I have given a great deal of thought to what our collective mission should be. Here in 2012 we can safely say goodbye to the 20th century. We are well into the 21st. In the next 88 years, these are the decades in which our current schoolchildren are going to spend their lives and leave their marks. They are only beginning the early part of the 21st century. They will be the adults and leaders of the 21st century.” The new superintendent provided a glimpse into the future, noting that a kindergarten student in September 2012 will graduate high school in June 2025 and will enter the workplace between 2025 and 2030. “The kindergarten children of today will be competing for high-paying, rewarding jobs and will need to process enormous amounts of information quickly and efficiently,” he said. “They will seek careers that differ greatly from those of today’s adults. They will not use paper, printers, laptops, cell phones, DVDs, CDs and other obsolete technology, but will become adept at using technology that doesn’t even exist today. They will look back at 2012 as the ‘old days.’ That is something to really consider.” In other matters, Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction Daniel D'Amico provided an overview of the new Annual Professional Performance Reviews that all New York state teachers and principals face this year. The new APPRs will ensure that there is an effective teacher in every classroom and an effective leader in every school. According to the EngageNY.org website for New York state APPRs, the evaluation system will also foster a culture of continuous professional growth for educators to grow and improve their instructional practices. http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=6714 Wed, 05 Sep 2012 00:00:00 GMT The Board of Education and Superintendent of Schools Richard Rozakis are pleased to announce that Babylon Jr./Sr. High School is among sixty-seven schools in Nassau and Suffolk counties and 250 schools statewide recognized as a Reward School for outstanding academic achievement by the New York State Education Department. “It is because of the wonderful work our teachers do every day, and the effective leadership of the administration, that our junior-senior high school receives this recognition,” stated Richard Rozakis. This designation is based upon student test score data from 2009-2010 and 2010-2011. Reward Schools have made the most progress or have the highest achievement in the state and do not have significant gaps in student achievement that are not being closed. As a Reward School, Babylon Jr./Sr. High School will be eligible to compete for up to $150,000 in grant money obtained by the state from the federal Race to the Top program. http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=6709 Tue, 04 Sep 2012 00:00:00 GMT The community and all students in grades K-12 are invited to help beautify the Grade School Garden on Thursday, August 30th from 9am-12pm. Students will earn community service. http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=6650 Mon, 27 Aug 2012 00:00:00 GMT The Future Begins Today Since I have come aboard as your new Superintendent, I am very aware that our greatest challenge will be to preserve and maintain the many aspects of the Babylon School District that have made us unique and successful, while at the same time confronting challenges that are unprecedented. We must give every child a world class education while working within numerous fiscal, legal and academic restraints placed on us from the outside. Thinking about our children's future is a little bit like stepping into The Twilight Zone. The child who enters kindergarten in September 2012 will graduate a 4-year college in the year 2030. He or she will compete globally, not locally, for jobs that do not even exist right now. Their workplace will be something out of Ray Bradbury, a place where even computers as we know them are obsolete, e-mail, CDs and DVDs are a thing of the past, and every bit of information is stored "in the cloud." It will be a world where cloud developers, search engine managers, time analysts and cyber diagnosticians will be in great demand. Our children need a true 21st Century education. They must be globally aware, economically literate and "team players." This means that our instructional technology must be fully aligned and integrated within the curriculum. It means classrooms where students use technology to further their learning, and in which they are trained to be problem solvers, critical thinkers and innovators. The author Daniel Pink said, "We must educate our children for their future, not our past." To that end, our children must learn to think and write independently, to gather evidence and make predictions, to evaluate sources of information and use data accordingly. To merely learn, memorize and repeat the things that were necessary for success in the year 2000 will be of little help to tomorrow's graduates and citizens. I know that the people of Babylon value education and expect that their schools will provide every child with a superior classroom experience. I expect this too. I also believe that parents and taxpayers have the right to know how their schools are performing and that open communication is mandatory. I realize that school districts are under a lot of pressure from Albany to meet unfunded mandates and work within a 2% tax cap, while still providing a quality education. We must find creative solutions to a set of circumstances never before seen. These are not just fiscal challenges; they also relate to how public education is perceived and administered, along with the overriding mission of preparing students for a world that we cannot fully envision. But we must also realize that we are educating the "whole child." A student is not just a test grade, a report card, a name on a list or a certificate. Every child to some degree is an artist, a poet, an adventurer, an athlete, a musician and an explorer; all children are curious, playful, dramatic, humorous and eager. If a college and career-ready graduate is our goal, and if we want every student to leave our high school confident and competent to take on the world after 2020, then we must support every child's quest for success. Let us be mindful that while test scores are an important measure, Albert Einstein once noted "Not everything that can be counted, counts, and not everything that counts can be counted." To this end, the summer has been spent in preparation of the arrival of our students and staff. It is also a time that teachers develop skills, complete coursework and otherwise hone their craft. This summer that effort took on different faces as the district prepared administrators and teachers to implement the new Annual Professional performance Review (APPR) and to write Student Learning Objectives (SLOs). Summer also offered unique opportunities to do some facilities work. Construction continues apace on the new science research lab in the high school. Smartboards have been hung in the elementary and grade school classrooms. We have hired a new Media Specialist who will not only act as librarian, but teacher trainer and instructional curriculum developer as well. And our classrooms and hallways have been cleaned spic and span by our own buildings and grounds and custodial crews. They take great pride in the work that they do and I would like to publicly commend them for caring as they do about our facilities and the quality of their work. In closing, I am happy and honored to have become part of the Babylon District. I have already learned that Babylon schools reflect the values and interests of the community whose name they bear. Babylon recognizes the value of education and supports the efforts of its schools. On behalf of everyone in our schools I am proud to say thank you for that support and offer the assurance that we will continue our primary mission of educating and developing every child to their fullest potential. I truly believe that we are in for a wonderful and highly productive year. I look forward to meeting you and your children, supporting you any way that I can, and joining in the celebration of your children's' successes. Richard S. Rozakis Superintendent of Schools http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=6631 Wed, 22 Aug 2012 00:00:00 GMT The community and all students in grades K-12 are invited to help beautify the Grade School Garden on Thursday, August 23rd from 9am-12pm. Students will earn community service. http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=6607 Sun, 19 Aug 2012 00:00:00 GMT Governor Andrew M. Cuomo has directed that flags on state government buildings be flown at half-staff on Thursday, August 2, 2012 in honor of a Rochester soldier who died in Afghanistan on July 27. Pvt. 1st Class. Theodore M. Glende died in Logar province, Afghanistan, when enemy forces attacked his unit with small-arms fire. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team, Vicenza, Italy. "I join with all New Yorkers in mourning the loss of Private Glende and I send my deepest sympathies to his family, friends, and fellow soldiers," Governor Cuomo said. "We will honor the service of this young soldier and we will be forever grateful for his dedication to our nation." Governor Cuomo has directed that the flags on all state buildings be lowered to half-staff in honor of and in tribute to our state's service members and those stationed in New York who are killed in action or die in a combat zone. Effective: Beginning of Business, Thursday, August 2, 2012 Return to Full Staff: Sunset, Thursday, August 2, 2012 http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=6536 Wed, 01 Aug 2012 00:00:00 GMT Governor Andrew M. Cuomo has directed that flags on state government buildings be flown at half-staff on Friday, August 3, 2012 in honor of two Fort Drum soldiers who died in Wardak Province, Afghanistan on July 28. Private 1st Class Jose O. Belmontes, from La Verne, Calif., and Sgt. 1st Class Bobby L. Estle, of Lebanon, Ohio, died of injuries sustained from enemy small arms fire. Both Soldiers were assigned to the 630th Engineer Company of the 7th Engineer Battalion of the 10th Mountain Division’s 10th Sustainment Brigade. "I join with all New Yorkers in mourning the loss of Private 1st Class Belmontes and Sgt. 1st Class Estle and send my deepest sympathies to their family, friends, and fellow soldiers," Governor Cuomo said. "We will honor the service of these Fort Drum soldiers and we will be forever grateful for their dedication to our nation." Governor Cuomo has directed that the flags on all state buildings be lowered to half-staff in honor of and in tribute to our state's service members and those stationed in New York who are killed in action or die in a combat zone. Effective: Beginning of Business, Friday, August 3, 2012 Return to Full Staff: Sunset, Friday, August 3, 2012 http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=6535 Tue, 31 Jul 2012 00:00:00 GMT Click Here for More Information http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=6465 Thu, 26 Jul 2012 00:00:00 GMT Governor Andrew M. Cuomo has directed that flags on state government buildings be flown at half-staff on Tuesday, July 24 in honor of two Fort Drum soldiers who died on July 18. Sergeant Jose J. Reyes and Sergeant Daniel A. Rodriguez died when their vehicle was struck by an enemy improvised explosive device in Ghazni City, Afghanistan. They were assigned to the 548th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 10th Sustainment Brigade, 10th Mountain Division, based at Fort Drum. Sergeant Reyes was from San Lorenzo, Puerto Rico, and Sergeant Rodriguez was from Baltimore, Maryland. "I join with all New Yorkers in mourning the loss of Sergeant Reyes and Sergeant Rodriguez," Governor Cuomo said. "I send my deepest sympathies to their families, friends, and fellow soldiers. We will honor the service of these two Fort Drum soldiers and we will be forever grateful for their dedication to our nation." Governor Cuomo has directed that the flags on all state buildings be lowered to half-staff in honor of and in tribute to our state's service members and those stationed in New York who are killed in action or die in a combat zone. Effective: Beginning of Business, Tuesday, July 24, 2012 Return to Full Staff: Sunset, Tuesday, July 24, 2012 http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=6498 Sun, 22 Jul 2012 00:00:00 GMT Babylon High School's Coach Williams Memorial Field was filled to the brim with proud parents and school administrators on June 23 to cheer on the Class of 2012 as they graduated to the next level of education. The ceremony began with reflective remarks on the memorable year it was by Babylon High School Senior Class President Erica Zigon and Student Council President Adam Marrone, and progressed with a greeting from Board of Education President Dominic Bencivenga and Babylon High School Principal Al Cirone. "You're a special graduating class because you are my first here at Babylon High School," Principal Cirone said. "You'll always have a special place in my heart. Graduation is far from the end – it is the beginning of all your tomorrows. Congratulations to the Class of 2012 and best of luck in all your future endeavors." After speeches from Valedictorian Sarah Grosser and Salutatorian Pamela Dupre, congratulatory remarks were made by Babylon Interim Superintendent Dr. Peter R. Daly and retiring teacher Francine Spada. “Today has great meaning. Our graduates arrived on the doorstep of the Babylon Elementary School in September of 1999, just one month before I arrived on the doorstep of the Babylon Administration Office,” stated Dr. Daly, continuing, “For 13 years, we traveled similar but different paths, always connected by a common bond: we are all members of the same learning community – the Babylon UFSD. As you move forward, there will be times when you will lead and other times when you will follow. But always be sure to go for it when opportunity comes knocking. God bless and good luck." As for Ms. Spada, who is retiring after 33 years of service to the Babylon School District, she told the students to follow their inner voice when determining which career path to take. "Each one of us has our own special calling," she said. "It becomes our job to figure out what that mission is. Make sure you follow it no matter what obstacles are in the way. Listen to your heart and your own inner voice." http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=6378 Wed, 27 Jun 2012 00:00:00 GMT Governor Andrew M. Cuomo has directed that flags on state government buildings be flown at half-staff on Wednesday, June 27 in honor of a New York soldier who died in Afghanistan on June 22. Major Paul C. Voelke died in Mazar E. Sharif while supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 30th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, based at Fort Stewart, Georgia. Major Voelke was from the Town of Monroe. "I join with all New Yorkers in mourning the loss of Major Voelke and I send my deepest sympathies to his family, friends, and fellow soldiers," Governor Cuomo said. "We will be forever grateful for his service and his dedication to our nation." Governor Cuomo has directed that the flags on all state buildings be lowered to half-staff in honor of and in tribute to our state's service members and those stationed in New York who are killed in action or die in a combat zone. Effective: Beginning of Business, Wednesday, June 27, 2012 Return to Full Staff: Sunset, Wednesday, June 27, 2012 http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=6354 Mon, 25 Jun 2012 00:00:00 GMT Lisa Brush's family and consumer sciences (FACS) class at Babylon Memorial Grade School completed their end-of-year project to create puppets that will be donated to Wyandanch Head Start. According to the Long Island Head Start website, the organization provides children from low-income families with a preschool experience to give them an equal opportunity for success in the public school system. These student-created puppets will help the children develop language skills and express their feelings in a constructive way. Former Babylon FACS teacher Cindy Theiss and Joy Torrey, a community volunteer, assisted with this worthwhile project alongside Mrs. Brush and Babylon High School practical arts teacher Jenna Cucci. http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=6376 Mon, 25 Jun 2012 00:00:00 GMT Hundreds of proud parents, teachers and school administrators gathered in Babylon High School's Rowe Hall on June 21 to celebrate Babylon Memorial Grade School's sixth-graders moving up to the next level of education. Babylon Memorial Grade School sixth-grade teachers Joanne Fasano, Heather Hosek, Rick Punzone, Eric Solnick, Danielle Vedder and Kathleen Whittier each introduced their classes and reflected on their favorite memories from the 2011-12 school year. ELA teacher Rita Bartenback, retiring after 32 years of service to the district, also thanked the students and parents for making her teaching career in Babylon a wonderful, unforgettable experience. Congratulatory remarks were also made by Interim Superintendent of Schools Dr. Peter R. Daly, PTA President Heather Tenety, Babylon Grade School Principal Dr. Randee Bonagura, Babylon High School Principal Al Cirone and Babylon High School Assistant Principal Steven Goldberg. http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=6327 Sun, 24 Jun 2012 00:00:00 GMT Babylon Grade School third-grade teacher Lisa Lang, along with three of her current and former students, received haircuts as part of an initiative to help women and children suffering from long-term medical hair loss. Students had the option of donating to Pantene, whose "Beautiful Lengths" program works to provide real-hair wigs for women suffering from cancer, or to Locks of Love, a non-profit organization that offers hairpieces to financially disadvantaged children who have alopecia areata. "I'm very proud of the students, as they gave generously to those in need," Lang said. "I would also like to thank the staff at Babylon's Cactus Salon Express for helping with this great cause by providing their services completely free of charge." http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=6252 Mon, 18 Jun 2012 00:00:00 GMT Babylon High School's spring athletic season was highlighted by Long Island championship victories by its varsity baseball and softball teams, along with several other teams qualifying for playoffs. Even more impressive was the participating student-athletes' overall dedication to academics. "The athletes practiced hard every day and left it all out on the field," said Babylon High School Athletic Director Michael DeJoseph, speaking in front of approximately 150 parents, students and school administrators at the school's Spring 2012 Varsity Awards ceremony, held on June 5 at Rowe Hall Auditorium. "I personally couldn't be more proud, not only of what the athletes accomplished on the field, but what they have achieved academically." Of the 24 eligible teams this year at Babylon High School, 20 were recognized as "New York State Scholar-Athlete" teams. "That's something I'm even more proud of than the athletic achievements," DeJoseph added. “Our mission is to celebrate our students’ uniqueness and maximize their abilities to attain excellence as we guide and prepare them to become responsible citizens of the world. Thanks to the parents and the Babylon Booster Club for their continued support, and to the student-athletes who gave it their all this year." http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=6192 Thu, 14 Jun 2012 00:00:00 GMT The Babylon Board of Education accepted a generous donation in the amount of $200,000 from Theresa Santmann and the Theresa Patnode Santmann Foundation, Inc. at its public board meeting on June 11. It was announced that the funds will be used to transform an existing art room at Babylon High School into a state-of-the-art science research center. Santmann, a Babylon resident who founded the Little Flower Nursing and Adult Homes in East Islip, also donated $5,000 in recognition of the Babylon School District's participation in the second annual Babylon Art Festival, which was held earlier this month in Old Town Hall. The Board also recognized and honored the Babylon High School boys varsity lacrosse team for earning the NYSPHSAA award for top scholar-athlete team in New York State. Additional recognitions and awards went to the high school varsity baseball and softball teams, which both won Long Island championships this year. Babylon High School track stars Ashley Lucas and Emerald Vickers also took home certificates for representing the district at the New York State Track & Field Championships earlier this month. In other matters, the board honored Babylon High School's award-winning art students Alliston Buser, Amanda Crowley, Brendan Laing, Taylor Middleton, Gabrielle Simone, Nicole Smith, Melissa Tolve and Mabel Ye, each of whom won 2012 Awards of Excellence for their art exhibits at the Babylon Art Festival. http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=6204 Thu, 14 Jun 2012 00:00:00 GMT The Babylon chapter of the National Art Honor Society recently created bones made from plaster, which will be used as part of the "One Million Bones" art installation in Washington, D.C. in the spring of 2013. According to Onemillionbones.org, this installation will serve as a collaborative site of conscience to remember victims and survivors of genocide. It will also be a visible petition to raise awareness of worldwide atrocities and a call to our government to take a stand against violence. "The students in the club used their art to help others, both here and around the world," said club advisor Cheryl Schweider. "They had a feeling of compassion and accomplishment knowing they were making a difference through the use of art." Besides the "One Million Bones" project, the club also closed out the 2012 school year with several community outreach efforts, including four food drives to benefit local pantries, a "memory portrait project" to benefit needy children in Honduras and a "pin-selling" fundraiser for the Habitat for Humanity of Suffolk Restore. http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=6205 Thu, 14 Jun 2012 00:00:00 GMT Babylon Elementary School held its fifth annual Flag Day celebration on June 13, in honor of our nation's brave servicemen and women who fight for our freedom on a daily basis. Over 200 parents, teachers, students and military veterans were in attendance for the ceremony, which included a special welcome and "folding of the flag" conducted by U.S. Army Reserves Chaplain Colonel F. Midura and Ensign Taylor Reynolds, a recent graduate of the Babylon School District. Babylon Elementary School Principal Dana Basile reminded the students that the reason they are here today and able to enjoy many of their daily freedoms is due to the brave efforts put forth by our military veterans. "We are proud to honor those who have served our country," she said. "Our students and parents appreciated the many veterans and servicemen and women who attended the ceremony." http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=6179 Wed, 13 Jun 2012 00:00:00 GMT Babylon High School senior Cody Gross signed a National Letter of Intent to attend Monmouth University in the fall. Gross, a standout varsity golfer at Babylon, will play men's golf next year for the Northeast Conference powerhouse Monmouth Hawks. He thanked Babylon High School varsity golf coach Brian Kroll for helping him excel in golf and develop into the person he is today. http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=6097 Thu, 07 Jun 2012 00:00:00 GMT The District, in cooperation with Dowling College and Farmingdale State College, celebrated Long Island's best creative young artists at the second annual Babylon Art Festival on the weekend of June 1 at Old Babylon Town Hall. Babylon High School students Alliston Buser, Taylor Middleton, Gabrielle Simone, Melissa Tolve, Amanda Crowley, Brendan Laing, Nicole Smith and Mabel Ye, along with over a dozen Dowling College and Farmingdale State College art students, each earned 2012 Awards of Excellence for their superb art exhibits. "We would like to extend a special thank you to Theresa M. Santmann," said Babylon School District Interim Superintendent of Schools Dr. Peter R. Daly. "This event would not have been possible without her love of the arts and support for our community. Our thanks also to the Babylon Citizens Council on the Arts (BACCA) for their support in hosting the event." http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=6053 Mon, 04 Jun 2012 00:00:00 GMT Matt McLean, a senior at Babylon High School, won a BACCA Teen Youth Theatre (TOBY) award for "Best Male Lead in a Musical" at the 10th annual Town of Babylon Teen Theatre Awards ceremony on May 24 in Deer Park, NY. The ceremony recognizes exceptional theatrical performances from high school students across the Town of Babylon, and McLean was one of 22 winners from a variety of categories. http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=6060 Mon, 04 Jun 2012 00:00:00 GMT The No. 1-ranked Babylon Panthers (20-0) earned an 8-7 victory over No. 3-seeded Center Moriches on May 29 to remain undefeated and earn their third straight Suffolk Class B title. Babylon's junior power slugger Brianna Goodfellow went 4-for-4, including a two-run homer in the fourth, and senior pitcher Tiana Giuliano (17-0) struck out the final batter with runners on second and third in the bottom of the seventh to secure the win. Giuliano has a team-high 17 victories this season, including two dazzling playoff performances in the circle. In Game One of the championship series, she notched 12 strikeouts and scattered just three hits to lead her team to a 2-0 victory, and she brought her A-game again in Game Two. The Panthers advance to play the Nassau County champ, No. 1-seeded Carle Place, in a Super Regional semifinal on June 5 at 1 p.m. in Rhinebeck, N.Y. http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=6007 Thu, 31 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT Governor Andrew M. Cuomo has directed that flags on state government buildings be flown at half-staff on Friday, June 1 in honor of New York State Trooper Amanda Anna, who died on May 26. Governor Cuomo said, "On behalf of all New Yorkers, I mourn the loss of Trooper Amanda Anna. Trooper Anna risked her life every day to protect New Yorkers and died while serving the people of our state. We will honor her service and remember her devotion to New York. I send my deepest sympathies to her family, friends, and colleagues at the State Police." Trooper Anna died as a result of injuries sustained from a car accident while on duty in Oswego County. Her funeral will take place on Friday, June 1. Effective: Beginning of Business, Friday, June 1, 2012 Return to Full Staff: Sunset, Friday, June 1, 2012 http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=5966 Tue, 29 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT Babylon Grade School held a Memorial Day ceremony on May 24 to honor the thousands of brave servicemen and women who fight for our country's freedom on a daily basis. The program included patriotic music, an American flag flown at half-staff in memory of those who made the ultimate sacrifice, and a display of banners that students created to honor the United States Armed Forces. Several students also dressed as iconic American figures like Uncle Sam, Abraham Lincoln and the Statue of Liberty. http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=5932 Mon, 28 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT Babylon High School alum Rebecca Rubin, along with several business professionals from the Babylon community, paid a visit to her former high school on May 24 to discuss the many fine career choices in the business field. Rubin, who graduated from Babylon High School in 2007, left a strong impression on the students, having sat in the same seats as them just five short years ago. Earlier this year, Rubin graduated from SUNY Binghamton with a master's degree in accounting. She returned to the high school to talk to students about college and the various paths of study in accounting. Other guests on the panel included Laurie Fredericks, a CPA and the CFO of Hedgeserv Corp., Kenneth Rende, the CAO at Neuberger Berman, Tim McCaffrey, Regional Sales Director for Dominion Enterprises, Richard Finelli, a CPA, and Mark Howard, President of Plesser’s Corp. "The speakers graciously volunteered their time to speak about their education, background and career experience," said Claire Reilly, Babylon's Director of Practical Arts. "They highlighted the different paths that can be taken with the same degree. It was a great opportunity for our current business students to learn more about the field they will pursue in college. The speakers also emphasized that students must first like what they are doing, and success will come with hard work and long hours." http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=5930 Sun, 27 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT Second-graders from Babylon Elementary School became one of the first students on Long Island to participate in the "Chefs Move to Schools" program, as Chef Marianne Dayton from Infusion Sales Group paid a visit to the school on May 21 to provide a unique lesson on vegetables and healthy eating. According to the "Chefs Move to Schools" website, the program is an integral part of First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move! initiative and its goal of solving the childhood obesity epidemic within a generation. As the program grows, the hope is that chefs and schools will create partnerships with the mission of educating kids about healthy foods and how to maintain a balanced diet. http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=5875 Tue, 22 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT Interim Superintendent of Schools Dr. Peter R. Daly was recognized for his leadership in education at the St. John’s University Fourth Annual Leaders in Education Awards Dinner. Dr. Daly, who received his doctorate in education from St. John’s University in 2008, has served the Babylon School District and community since 1999. In conjunction with the School of Education and the Office of Alumni Relations, the Fourth Annual Leaders in Education Award recognizes members of the academic community who have made outstanding contributions to the field of education. “It is a pleasure and an honor to be the recipient of this year’s Leaders in Education Award,” stated Dr. Daly. “I strongly believe that working in education is a noble and rewarding career, and that we play a vital role in the future of the children we serve every day. Thank you for this distinguished honor.” http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=5867 Mon, 21 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT Babylon Grade School students were treated to a special astronomy lesson on May 21 when a Starlab was set up in the school gymnasium. The lab is essentially a dome made of opaque vinyl, which has a digital projector inside of it that displays moving images, such as planets revolving around the sun, night sky stars and the Milky Way Galaxy. According to the Starlab website, it is the most widely used portable planetarium in the world. The students saw their science lesson plan "come to life," as the experience was a fun and interactive way for them to learn about the universe. http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=5870 Sun, 20 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT Budget Vote Results: Yes: 904 No: 340 Trustee Election Results: The two candidates receiving the highest number of votes will be elected for three year terms ending June 30, 2015. The one candidate receiving the third highest vote will fill the vacated term ending June 30, 2013. Lisa McKeown 896 Roger A. Katz 833 Ann Donaldson 900 http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=5738 Tue, 15 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT Students from Babylon Memorial Grade School had their social studies lesson plan "come to life" on May 10, as Civil War actors from Old Bethpage Village Restoration paid a visit to the school to provide students with an inside glimpse into the life of a soldier in the 1860s. The actors came decked out in costumes similar to what Union and Confederate soldiers wore during the Civil War, and the students had the opportunity to view antique rifles, muskets and other artifacts from the era. http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=5708 Sun, 13 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT Students from Babylon Memorial Grade School had the unique opportunity on May 10 to receive a yoga lesson from Diana Leone, a well-respected children's yoga professional who has over 12 years of experience in the field. Leone, a Babylon resident who teaches the discipline at schools across Long Island, provided a yoga lesson that instantly connected with the students, as she integrated storytelling, games and music into the hour-long session. Her lesson, which concluded a nine-week yoga program at the grade school, helped the students relax, connect more deeply to their inner selves and improve self-esteem. http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=5707 Sat, 12 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT Please be advised that Flags must be flown at half-staff on the fifteenth day of May, Peace Officer Memorial Day. Effective: Beginning of Business, Tuesday, May 15, 2012 Return to Full Staff: Sunset, Tuesday, May 15, 2012 http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=5657 Thu, 10 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT Babylon High School students Sara Mikovic and Meredith Wardell earned a $500 Babylon Covantage Ecotech Scholarship for their science research project, "The Effectiveness of Apricot Kernels as a Natural Pesticide Against Drosophila melanogaster." Additionally, Maddie Peplinski earned a $750 scholarship and finished in second place for her outstanding project, "The Water Solution," and Babylon High School science teacher Mary Beth Schappert won the "Teacher Advantage" award. The team of Drew Anne O’Connor, Samantha Stetz and Cassie Beneville also earned top honors, as they took home a $300 scholarship and finished in fourth place for their phenomenal work on their project, “Which Color Hair Absorbs the Most Oil?” According to the Town of Babylon website, the town, in partnership with Covanta Energy Inc., awards these scholarships annually to students who create the top-ranking school science projects with eco-tech themes. The projects, which in the past have included themes like alternate fuel generation, emissions reduction, environmental mitigation, sustainable building methods and materials, are designed to help introduce new and creative ways to reduce our carbon footprint. http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=5611 Tue, 08 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT Dozens of Babylon high school student musicians were recognized and presented with certificates by the Babylon Board of Education at its public meeting on May 7 in Babylon High School's Rowe Hall. The students were honored for their award-winning performances last month at the WorldStrides Heritage Music Festival in Williamsburg, Virginia. Babylon's string ensemble, symphonic winds and jazz ensemble each took home gold medals, and the bands "Sweet Adelines" and "The Express" ranked high with silver medal finishes. Matt McLean, Babylon student and "The Express" singer, along with jazz band guitarist Tyler McGarvey, also earned top honors. Both students went home with Maestro Awards, which were given to just a select number of high-ranking individual performers at the festival. Babylon's symphonic winds were also recognized as "Best Overall Band" at the event. http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=5625 Tue, 08 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT Click Here to View the Newsletter http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=5496 Thu, 03 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT Babylon Elementary School used a generous $5,000 donation from local entrepreneur and philanthropist Theresa Santmann to purchase a brand new Skutt Automatic Kiln that will be enjoyed for years to come by Babylon art students. Santmann, a Babylon resident who is also the founder of Little Flower Nursing and Adult Homes in East Islip, joined Babylon Elementary School Principal Dana Basile, Interim Superintendent of Schools Dr. Peter R. Daly, Babylon Elementary School art teacher Pat Stork, Fine Arts Director Angela Turk and 15 Babylon art students in the elementary school’s art room to create clay pots for the kiln's first usage. http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=5530 Thu, 03 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT 2012-2013 Budget Fact Sheet Click Here to View the Budget Page http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=5531 Thu, 03 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT REMINDER: ELEMENTARY AND GRADE SCHOOLS CLOSED FOR STUDENTS ON FRIDAY, MAY 11, 2012 FOR SUPERINTENDENT’S CONFERENCE DAY. JUNIOR-SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL OPEN FOR STUDENTS http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=5532 Wed, 02 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT Governor Andrew M. Cuomo has directed that flags on state government buildings be flown at half-staff on Monday, May 7 in honor of a New York soldier who died on May 1. Captain Bruce K. Clark died in Tarin Kowt, Afghanistan while supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. He was assigned to A Company, Troop Command, William Beaumont Army Medical Center, in El Paso, Texas. Captain Clark was from Spencerport. "On behalf of all New Yorkers, I express my condolences to the family, friends, and fellow soldiers of Captain Clark," said Governor Cuomo. "We mourn the loss of this New York soldier and we will honor his service and dedication to our nation." Governor Cuomo has directed that the flags on all state buildings be lowered to half-staff in honor of and in tribute to our state's service members and those stationed in New York who are killed in action or die in a combat zone. Effective: Beginning of Business, Monday, May 7, 2012 Return to Full Staff: Sunset, Monday, May 7, 2012 http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=5533 Wed, 02 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT Board of Education President Dominic Bencivenga, Interim Superintendent of Schools Dr. Peter R. Daly and Babylon High School Principal Al Cirone welcomed realtors from across Long Island to Babylon High School on May 1 for a breakfast and meet-and-greet session. The purpose of the meeting was to provide local realtors with a better understanding of the offerings and accomplishments of the Babylon School District and local community. http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=5521 Wed, 02 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT Babylon High School students in Melissa Anderson's Advanced French class had the opportunity to learn a lesson about a French-speaking country in West Africa from a local community member who splits her time between Babylon and the Ivory Coast. Mrs. Philomene Waldridge, an Ivory Coast native and former French teacher, was excited to return to the classroom environment to share with Babylon students her extensive knowledge of the country. She showed the class old family photos from her upbringing in the Ivory Coast, as well as a presentation of the country's music, dance and dining history. Mrs. Waldridge, who conducted the entire lesson in French, also shared items like traditional Ivorian garments and provided a unique perspective of the culture present in her native country. The students, who had been studying the Ivory Coast as part of their lesson plans throughout April, had the opportunity to engage Mrs. Waldridge in meaningful discourse to expand their knowledge of the French language and the history of the Ivory Coast. "Mrs. Waldridge was very generous with her time," Babylon High School World Languages Director Michelle Scharff said. "She promises a visit again in the future for other students to enjoy, as the current students were thrilled to have her share her personal experiences with them. They were proud to be able to understand and converse with a native French speaker. The Ivory Coast culture came alive for them through her presentation and interpretation. What a treat for our Advanced French students!" http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=5459 Mon, 30 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT Several instrumental and vocal ensembles from Babylon High School were awarded for their dazzling performances at the WorldStrides Heritage Music Festival on Apr. 20 in Williamsburg, Virginia. Babylon's String Ensemble, Symphonic Winds and Jazz Ensemble each took home gold medals, and the "Sweet Adelines" and "Express" bands also ranked high with silver medal finishes. Matt McLean, Babylon student and singer of "The Express," along with Jazz band guitarist Tyler McGarvey, also earned top honors, as both students went home with Maestro Awards - which were given to just a select number of high-ranking individual performers at the festival. Babylon's Symphonic Winds were also recognized as "Best Overall Band" at the event. "I'm so proud of these excellent student musicians," said Angela Turk, Babylon High School's Director of Fine Arts. "They did a wonderful job of showcasing Babylon's fantastic music program to a national audience." http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=5460 Mon, 30 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT Jennifer Brooks' kindergarten class celebrated the completion of its April book reports on aquatic animals with a "Publisher's Party" on Apr. 30 at Babylon Elementary School. Throughout the month, the students learned and wrote about exotic water creatures like sea otters, manatees, puffer fish, dolphins and sea jellies, and the "Publisher's Party" provided a perfect opportunity to share their reports with the dozens of classmates, parents and teachers in attendance. "We had the opportunity to visit a local aquarium that gave the kids a wonderful interactive experience of our lesson plan," Brooks said. "The students were very excited about the project, and they had fun while learning key writing and grammar skills." http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=5461 Mon, 30 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT The Board of Education officially welcomed new Superintendent of Schools Richard Rosakis to the district on Apr. 23 with a special meet-and-greet session following their work/study meeting in the high school library. Dozens of parents, teachers, community members and school administrators were in attendance and greeted the new superintendent with rousing applause. Mr. Rosakis, currently Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction in the Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District, was the final selection from 55 candidates who were considered for the position. Prior to serving the Bellmore-Merrick CHSD, Mr. Rozakis worked as principal of North Shore High School in Glen Head, assistant principal of New Hyde Park Memorial High School, and social studies teacher, social studies chairperson and social studies district coordinator in the Sewanhaka Central School District. “I'm extremely pleased to be joining the Babylon school district," Rosakis said. "I am very much looking forward to working with the administration, teachers, staff and school community to build on Babylon’s many successes and continue to ensure that all of our children are college and career-ready when they leave high school." http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=5398 Wed, 25 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT Associates from Kohl’s department store teamed up with over a dozen Babylon students on Apr. 25 on a beautification project for the Babylon High School courtyard. According to event co-organizer Jaime Harrison, a special education teacher at Babylon High School, the plan is to turn the courtyard into an organic vegetable garden that can be enjoyed by students and faculty for years to come. The project, which was part of the “Kohl’s Cares” environmental initiative, aims to help the local community by taking steps to ensure it leaves a smaller footprint. “We believe in giving back to the communities we serve, not just with money and resources but also with talent and time,” the Kohl’s Cares website states. “Through our community giving and volunteer program, we support kids' health and education, environmental initiatives and women's health. We envision a future where kids are healthy, resources are plentiful and disease that affects women and their families is eradicated. Because the way we see it, giving back also means looking ahead.” http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=5401 Wed, 25 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT Babylon Grade School held its annual Family Literacy Game Night on Apr. 20 as part of the closing ceremonies for the month-long PARP Read-A-Thon initiative. The students, along with their parents, played games like Scattergories, Scrabble Slam, Upwords, Apples to Apples Junior, Hedbanz and Boggle as a fun way to improve vocabulary, spelling and critical thinking abilities. Throughout the month, Babylon Grade School students had the opportunity to enjoy many great PARP-related activities, and Family Game Night was a wonderful way to complete the program. According to the New York State PTA website, “PARP [established in 1978] is a program that cements the necessary bond between the home and the school to encourage the love of reading in our children…It asks parents to read with their children for at least fifteen minutes daily, stressing the fact that reading can be fun as well as informative.” http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=5375 Mon, 23 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT Marie Poelker's second-grade class was recognized and presented with certificates by the Board of Education at their meeting on April 16 in Babylon High School's Rowe Hall. The students, with the assistance of Babylon Elementary School art teacher Patricia Stork and media center librarian Lisa Lindeman, created an eight-minute movie last month using the stop-motion animation technique. In this film style, the illusion of motion is created when an object is photographed in a single frame and then shot in another frame after being moved slightly. After repeating the process hundreds of times, the objects appear to move fluidly by themselves. According to Stork, over 1,500 photographs were snapped to put together the eight minutes of footage. http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=5314 Thu, 19 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT Leah Weissinger's first-graders performed a series of three classic fairy tales on in the Babylon Elementary School gymnasium to a packed house of parents, teachers and school administrators. The students opened with the time-honored fable "The Tortoise and the Hare" and followed with spectacular renditions of "The Three Billy Goats Gruff" and "The Three Little Pigs." According to Babylon Elementary School Principal Dana Basile, these performances have become an annual tradition at the school thanks to Ms. Weissinger's hard work and dedication. She added that the event helps students develop key skills in public speaking and English Language Arts fundamentals, in addition to boosting self-confidence. http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=5209 Sun, 08 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT Babylon Elementary School hosted a science fair on Apr. 4 to showcase the projects students had been working hard on throughout the previous month. High school students from the National Honor Society selected Nicholas P. Olejnik's "How Compost Is Made" for the top project among third-graders, while Maria Henriquez's project "Globs of Gluten: Which Wheat Flour Has the Most Gluten?" was voted best in the fourth-grade group. Dylan Pane took the top spot among fifth-graders for his "Batter Up!" display, and Jackie Birch's project "Will Density Affect Buoyancy?" earned the student choice award for sixth-graders. Besides student choice awards, the projects also earned separate recognition based on grading by Babylon High School science teachers. Third-grade finalists were Megan Burke, Lindsay Gaare, Aidan Killeen, Jenna Petraitis and Mia Timson, while fourth-grade finalists included Lucas Armyn, Connor Dempsey, Peter Gillen, Kyle Mees and Justin Persaud. Finalists from the fifth-grade class were Erin Conlon, Abigail Erickson, Saiquan Kneeland, Eric Trapani and Gianna Wheeler, while sixth-grade finalists included Kevin Keith, Samantha Layton, Ben Leibstein, Sarah Quigley and Scott Zeterberg. http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=5210 Sun, 08 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT Over 12 of the 40 Babylon High School students who participated in the New York State Career Conference on March 7 in Rochester, NY placed in the top ten in their respective fields. Carly Tribby and Emily Church took first and third place in Public Service Visual Advertising, respectively, Emily Funk placed fifth in Visual Advertising, Grace Onishea finished seventh in Free Enterprise Economics, Kelly Corcoran earned three top ten honors in Retail Merchandising, and the team of Maura O'Shea and Katie Greene captured sixth place in New York State and finished second overall in the category of Travel and Tourism Role Play. The team of Matt Zeterberg, Ken Rende and Alec Zame placed sixth in Research Paper, Sports and Entertainment Marketing. Kate Wilson (Broadcast Advertising), Kerry Glenday (Human Resources Management) and Sean Reynolds (Automotive Marketing) were also top ten finishers. "Besides exhibiting extraordinary professional behavior, they also did very well in their competitive events," Babylon DECA co-advisor Claire Reilly said. "These students put a lot of time and effort into their competition, and we are very proud of their performance, competing against over 2,000 students from across the state." http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=5145 Sun, 01 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT Marie Poelker's second-grade class, with the assistance of Babylon Elementary School art teacher Patricia Stork and media center librarian Lisa Lindeman, created an eight-minute movie using the stop-motion animation technique. In this film style, the illusion of motion is created when an object is photographed in a single frame and then shot in another frame after being moved slightly. After repeating the process hundreds of times, the objects appear to move fluidly by themselves. According to Stork, over 1,500 photographs were snapped to put together the eight minutes of footage. The class rolled out the red carpet and got the full Hollywood treatment as their film premiered on March 27 at Babylon Elementary School. The movie played to a packed house that included Principal Dana Basile, Interim Superintendent of Schools Dr. Peter R. Daly, Board of Education Vice President Roger A. Katz, and several other school administrators. http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=5108 Wed, 28 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT The Babylon Memorial Grade School received a letter this month from Ambassador and Consul General of Japan in New York Shigeyuki Hiroki as a token of appreciation for the students' relief efforts in the aftermath of the Japanese tsunami of 2011 that claimed the lives of over 19,000 people. Last year, Babylon Grade School fourth-grade teacher Wanda Haggerty created "patch pillows" that were shipped to Japan's Tohoku region, an area that was hit hard by the earthquake and tsunami of March 11, 2011. "Once again, thank you for your generosity, your kindness and your friendship," wrote Hiroki in his letter to the grade school. "The people of Japan were truly heartened by your support, and share my feelings of deep gratitude to our friends abroad." "My class made pillows to send to the children in Japan who lost everything," Haggerty said. "The students gave up their recess time to create a total of nine patch pillows, and parents also helped with the process. It was a great community-building and sharing activity to help those in need." http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=5078 Mon, 26 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT Students from Babylon Elementary School spent much of the month of March reading books from the "Magic School Bus" children's series as part of the month-long PARP Read-A-Thon initiative, and their lesson plan came to life when a "real" Magic School Bus paid a visit to the school on March 22 and 23. The bus came complete with many hands-on interactive activities, including detailed exhibits about children's favorite topics such as ocean life, the weather, the solar system, rocks, volcanoes, insects and the human body. Touted as "the world's most famous yellow school bus," Scholastic's Magic School Bus provided Babylon students with a fun, engaging way to learn about science. http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=5079 Mon, 26 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT Congratulations to Babylon High School seniors Sarah Grosser, Pamela Dupre, Matthew McLean and Matthew Harberg on being awarded 2012 Series Scholarships for Academic Excellence awards from the New York State Higher Education Services Corporation (NYSHESC). These scholarships are awarded to a select number of top-ranking students in the state each year, with the goal of providing financial aid for full-time study in approved programs at schools located in New York State. Grosser, an AP Scholar with Distinction, is Babylon High School's Class of 2012 valedictorian, while Dupre, an award-winning varsity swimmer and president of the National Art Honor Society, is its salutatorian. Harberg is a multi-sport varsity athlete who is also an active member of several honor societies, including the National Science Honor Society, the National Spanish Honor Society, and the New York State Business Honor Society. As for McLean, he's earned All-County honors for his work in Babylon High School's Vocal Jazz Ensemble, while also racking up dozens of other musical and theatrical achievements during his four years at the school. http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=5080 Mon, 26 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT March is Youth Art Month, and Babylon students celebrated it by participating in an art installation project led by Babylon High School art teacher Cheryl Schweider. "On March 12, the Studio 5 and AP Studio art classes participated in a one-day installation project," Schweider said of her student's activities. "The students had been studying the work of Christo, an environmental installation artist. They had just completed projects based on his wrapping style. As part of the critique, the students wrapped a corner of their art room, as well as one of the students, with aluminum foil." Schweider added that the students had a much better understanding of Christo's work after participating in the project. "The art room remained wrapped for one week," she noted. "Upon taking down the installation, the students were challenged to create a piece of artwork using the foil. Any leftover foil will be recycled, as Christo does with all the materials used in his installations." http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=5090 Mon, 26 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT Babylon Memorial Grade School students learned critical math skills while having fun playing sports and card games at the Family Math Carnival held in the school’s gymnasium. The Babylon Grade School Math Committee teamed with Principal Randee Bonagura to organize the event, which included numerous intriguing activities to help students improve their math abilities in an enjoyable atmosphere with friends and classmates. Among the many games played was "Breakthrough," a card game that utilizes dice to help students develop strategy based on probability theory. The youngsters also played many sports-based games, such as counting the number of basketball dribbles they could tally in a 60-second span. Additionally, there was a "Guessing Jar," a "Multiplication Baseball" activity and a "Whirl-Away Board." http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=5006 Wed, 21 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT Babylon High School hosted an induction ceremony on March 15 to welcome the newest inductees into the New York State Business Honor Society, La Sociedad Honoraria Hispánica, the National Science Honor Society and La Société Honoraire de Francais. "I am both honored and flattered to have been asked to speak at this wonderful occasion," said Babylon High School Principal Al Cirone, the guest speaker of the evening. "I congratulate each of the students and their parents. Honors such as these are a wonderful way for the school and community to recognize the hard work and sacrifices these students have made." http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=4971 Sun, 18 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT The Babylon Elementary School lobby was transformed into a "Story Time Cafe", as students “took a journey full of surprises” that included interactive science experiments, an "arctic adventure" through an igloo filled with pictures of polar bears, and several other fun-filled activities to go along with the PARP Read-A-Thon's theme of "Traveling with the Magic School Bus." http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=4924 Wed, 14 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT Angela Turk, Babylon High School's Director of Fine Arts, was recently elected by her peers as Executive Director of the New York State Council of Administrators of Music Education (NYSCAME). In her new role, Turk says she will "oversee the chair people and the host sites for NYSCAME's annual High School All-County Festival, in addition to the selection process which involves every Suffolk County high school." Approximately 500 of the top high school student musicians participate in this festival every year. According to the organization's official website, the mission of the New York State Council of Administrators of Music Education is to provide a source for communication, development and support for all leaders responsible for facilitating the music education of students in the State of New York. http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=4879 Sun, 11 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT Students from Babylon Elementary School celebrated World Read Aloud Day (WRAD) on March 7 by reading books aloud with classmates and teachers in the school library. The event was part of the Elementary School's PARP Read-A-Thon taking place throughout the month of March, with the entire school reading C. Alexander London's "New Day, New Friends." WRAD is a national event created to help spread global literacy. According to LitWorld.org, the day motivates children, teens, and adults worldwide to celebrate the power of words, especially those that are shared from one person to another, and creates a community of readers advocating for every child’s right to a safe education and access to books and technology. http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=4880 Sun, 11 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT Twenty-one standout musicians district wide participated in the annual SCMEA All-County Music Festival on March 9 and 10 at Northport High School. Babylon Memorial Grade School students Sydney Altbacker, Julia Forstner, Chloe Gigliotti, Paige Bzdyk, Peter Schubart, Alexa Tenety and Grace Malley were selected, along with Babylon Junior-Senior High School students Jack Corcoran, Patrick Roche, Matthew Taggart, Chi Zhang, Matthew Fama, Emmeline Gaare, Olivia Grandal, Sara Mikovic, Ronald Pashen, Camila Romero, Leeann Sarle, Amanda Cohen, Emma Schubart and William Ye. As noted by Babylon Director of Fine Arts Angela Turk, these students are among the top-ranking musicians in Suffolk County for their grade levels, based on last year's NYSSMA scores and teacher recommendations. http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=4882 Sun, 11 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT The Distrit is celebrating its annual Parents as Reading Partners (PARP) Read-A-Thon this month with a variety of fun-filled activities to promote the joy of reading. At the elementary school, students are "traveling with the Magic School Bus" with science experiments, a Storytime Cafe and special visits from Babylon readers in the community, while the grade school is "Leaping into Reading." Besides reading books about frogs and other leaping animals, each grade level at the school created a "leaping meter" to track how many minutes they read over the course of the month. According to the New York State PTA website, “PARP [established in 1978] is a program that cements the necessary bond between the home and the school to encourage the love of reading in our children…It asks parents to read with their children for at least fifteen minutes daily, stressing the fact that reading can be fun as well as informative.” http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=4883 Sun, 11 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT High school athletes from the 2011-12 winter sports season were recognized and presented with certificates at a varsity awards ceremony in Babylon High School's Rowe Hall. Seven teams were honored, including the Panthers wrestling team, boys' swimming, girls' cheerleading, and each of the high school's track and basketball teams. "I want to thank the student-athletes," Babylon High School Athletic Director Michael DeJoseph said in an address to the crowd on hand. "There's nothing more exciting than a student who excels on and off the field while participating in community service. That's what we strive for here at Babylon High School." The event opened with a 20-minute highlight video from the recently completed sports season and DeJoseph expressed his appreciation for high school industrial arts teacher Peter Mankes' efforts in editing the clips. "Mr. Mankes and the video editing class did a great job putting the highlight video together. I would also like to thank the custodial staff for putting in a great effort this past season to get the gyms and fields ready for use." DeJoseph also praised the Babylon Booster Club for sponsoring the awards ceremony, as well as the high school parents and varsity coaching staffs for showing their support throughout the season. http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=4766 Sun, 04 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT On behalf of the Babylon School District, Parents as Reading Partners Chair Janine Logan accepted the 2010-2011 PARP Award at the Suffolk PTA’s Principals' and Presidents' Dinner at the Hyatt Regency in Hauppauge, New York. “The Babylon K-6 PTA Parents as Reading Partners Program from 2011 was recognized as the leading program in Suffolk County," Logan said. "It was a wonderful event and a great honor for our PTA and our district. The PARP theme for the year was ‘Discover the Magic of Reading and Poetry.’" Parents as Reading Partners (PARP) is a program designed to foster the love of reading in children by asking parents to set aside a few minutes each day to read with their children. Thanks to the hard work provided by Mrs. Logan and the rest of the PARP committee, Babylon students are well on their way towards becoming lifelong readers. http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=4606 Thu, 16 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT Valerie Schultheis' third grade class paid a visit to Babylon Elementary School on Feb. 8 to work with Jennifer Brooks' kindergarteners on a special Valentine's Day project. The two grade levels came together to create homemade cards for military troops stationed in Afghanistan. "This was a great project with a special cause," said Babylon Elementary School Principal Dana Basile. "Our schools have 'buddies' across grade levels who get together, and this activity represents one of those meetings. She added of the experience, "It was a wonderful outreach project for our troops." http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=4615 Thu, 16 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT The Board of Education honored three high-achieving students on Feb. 13 at the public Board meeting in the high school library. Babylon High School tenth-graders Sara Mikovic and Meredith Wardell were recognized for their award-winning science research work, while Memorial Grade School fourth-grader Kaileigh Ringstad was presented a certificate for her volunteer service. "Kaileigh has been working and raising money for the Ronald McDonald House in New Hyde Park," said Interim Superintendent of Schools Dr. Peter R. Daly. "She has even gone so far as to bake cupcakes and bring them to the children at Ronald McDonald House. As adults, it's sometimes amazing what we can learn from children. This is certainly one of those cases - Kaileigh taught us a lot." Memorial Grade School Principal Randee Bonagura added that Kaileigh also organized a school fundraiser to purchase a personalized Legacy Brick to benefit the Ronald McDonald House. Later in the evening, Mikovic and Wardell were praised for ranking sixth among the forty schools that competed in the protein model category of this year's Suffolk County Science Olympiad. "Sara and Meredith are so intrinsically motivated," said Science Club co-advisor Claire Birone. "They worked so hard, putting in a lot of hours on weekends and after school. We're so proud of the work they did." http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=4583 Wed, 15 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT For Babylon Elementary School students, the season for giving never ends as long as there is a need in the community. Mrs. Poelker's second-grade class at the elementary school recently collected school supplies and toiletry items that will be donated to Haven House/Bridges, Inc. (HHB), a charitable organization that provides housing and support services to homeless families, single mothers and young children in need. "The school supplies will help with the Haven House child care program," Mrs. Poelker said of the project. "Parents assisted in helping the children make flowers and write good wishes on hearts to package the items. This is the fourth year that we have been involved in this program. We're very pleased to be a part of this successful community service project." http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=4585 Wed, 15 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT Babylon Elementary School students celebrated the 100th day of school with a fun-filled slate of activities on Feb. 14. The school's kindergarteners and first-graders strung together special necklaces made from Froot Loops cereal, utilizing their math skills to count the cereal pieces in multiples of ten until they reached the number of the day. Dozens of other students made "100th Day" hats and posters created with "100 various items." Some posters were decorated with 100 pennies, while others were adorned with gummy worms, stamps and stickers. http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=4586 Wed, 15 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT The Babylon Grade School Student Council recently held a “Have a Heart” drive and successfully collected over 50 boxes filled with tissues, toothpaste, deodorant and other toiletries to benefit local shelters and Babylon residents in need. The program served to reinforce the school-community partnership as an extension of the district’s character education program. While the “Have a Heart” drive was organized by Student Council advisors Patricia Murphy and Rita Bartenback, along with the help of the third through sixth-grade Student Council members, the entire grade school participated in the drive. The event wouldn't have been such an overwhelming success had it not been for the collaborative efforts of all involved. http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=4595 Wed, 15 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT Officer George Lynagh of Suffolk County Police Department's Community Outreach Bureau paid a visit to Babylon Memorial Grade School on Feb. 9 to teach students a valuable anti-bullying lesson. The visit served to reinforce the school-community partnership as an extension of the district’s character education program. "It's a school resource officer program," Lynagh said of the initiative. "It reaches from the elementary school all the way up to the high school level. Today at the grade school, I'm teaching the third-graders a lesson on internet safety and the fourth-graders a lesson on bullying." Lynagh wanted the students to remember that there are many different types of bullying – including emotional, verbal and physical – so it's important to watch for the early signs of it. "We teach from a police officer’s point-of-view, and we talk a lot about consequences, both of bullying and internet use." The students learned that it's always better to be a buddy than a bully. http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=4533 Sun, 12 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT Babylon High School's student council collected non-perishable food items for the "Soup-er Bowl" food drive to benefit the Babylon Presbyterian Church. "Anyone who donated food was entered into a raffle to win a Super Bowl snack pack, which included a Domino’s Pizza gift card, chips, dips, and soda for their Super Bowl get-together," said Babylon High School Student Council co-advisor Cheryl Schweider. "Many students wore their favorite football team jerseys to school last Thursday and Friday in anticipation of the Super Bowl that weekend. Carly Horowitz won the Super Bowl snack pack, and all the food we collected was donated to the Babylon Presbyterian Church." http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=4492 Wed, 08 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT Babylon High School's chapter of the National Art Honor Society knows the season for giving never ends as long as there's a need in the community. "This year, we have already completed two food drives," said Babylon's National Art Honor Society advisor Cheryl Schweider. "For one week each quarter, art students are asked to bring in non-perishable goods, and the items are donated to the food pantry at the Babylon Presbyterian Church." Besides raising awareness for art education throughout the school, National Art Honor Society students from Babylon High School are working hard to eradicate hunger in the local community. http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=4493 Wed, 08 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT The Babylon Memorial Grade School recently teamed up with Aeropostale and Dosomething.org for the fifth annual ‘Teens for Jeans’ campaign to benefit American homeless youth. Thousands of homeless people in the United States are under the age of 18, and one of the first items they ask for when reaching a shelter is jeans. To lend a helping hand, Babylon students set up jean collection bins in the grade school's front lobby and asked friends, family and classmates to donate pairs of gently worn jeans. In the first four years of this nationwide initiative, over 1.5 million jeans have been collected and donated, and the early indications are that the 2012 campaign looks to be the biggest yet. The grade school is collecting jeans until Feb. 10 and plans to bring the donations to a nearby Aeropostale, where they will be disseminated to local homeless shelters. "It's a great program to help people in need," said Babylon Memorial Grade School Principal Randee Bonagura. "It also connects with our site-based committee's initiative of reducing, reusing and recycling. It's another way to reuse and repurpose items for the benefit of others." http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=4457 Mon, 06 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT Babylon High School senior Emerald Vickers signed a National Letter of Intent on Feb. 2 to attend Towson University upon completion of her high school graduation. A two-time All-State and All-County selection, Vickers was an integral part of the Babylon Panthers 4x100 relay team that made it to the New York State championships last year. As a junior, she ran the 100-meter dash in an astounding 13.2 seconds, and she was also clocked at 64 seconds in the 400-meter distance. Vickers, a multi-sport varsity athlete, racked up many notable accolades during her playing career at Babylon High School. She was named All-League for her work on the basketball court in both her sophomore and junior years, and she qualified to compete at the New York State level for track and field in three consecutive seasons. As a senior, she ranked second in all of Suffolk County and No. 2 in the challenging Suffolk League 5 division in the high jump category. She is graduating from Babylon High School with an Advanced Regents Diploma, and school administrators say she's a pleasure to work with. All of Vickers' hard work and determination on the basketball court and track at Babylon High School have paid off, as she earned a full scholarship to Towson University to compete in the women's high jump. Vickers says she plans to major in accounting at Towson and attend law school someday in the future. "I loved the campus and the team," Vickers said of her decision to attend the school. "I'm a big fan of all Division I sports, so I liked that Towson's teams compete against some tough opponents." http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=4458 Mon, 06 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT Babylon Memorial Grade School students were treated to an energetic, high-flying performance - complete with floor exercise routines, cartwheels and jaw-dropping trampoline stunts - on Feb. 3 by the Lady Panthers high school varsity gymnastics team. The event, which was a collaboration between Babylon High School varsity gymnastics coach Nancy O'Donnell and grade school physical education teacher Craig Washington, left a lasting impression on the third, fourth and fifth-graders. "It's an opportunity to promote sports, sportsmanship and physical activity in the community," said Babylon Director of Health, Physical Education and Athletics Michael DeJoseph. "It shows the younger students that there are opportunities at the junior high and high school levels to participate in athletics and be physically active.” http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=4459 Mon, 06 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT Kelsey from the Suffolk County Farm and Education Center stopped by Babylon Grade School on Feb. 1 to teach fourth and fifth-grade students the importance of treading lightly on Mother Nature's creations. She shared different ways for the students to be more responsible for the "footprints" they leave on the earth in order to continue to enjoy their favorite outdoor activities in the long-term. When the students were asked by Kelsey why they decided to give up their lunch period to learn about "Green Footprints," three students responded that they "wanted to learn about the environment and think about different ways to save our planet." Not only did the students discover the benefits of recycling and the many ways to reduce various forms of pollution, but they also learned about the importance of cutting down on the amount of waste they generate. According to Babylon Grade School Principal Randee Bonagura, the "Green Footprints" program, which is sponsored by the Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County, is helping students learn to make a positive impact on our natural world. http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=4403 Wed, 01 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT Babylon Grade School is participating in the "One School, One Book" program to celebrate Black History Month this February. Each student at the grade school level will read Wilma Unlimited, a book that explores themes of overcoming obstacles, embracing diversity, and having tolerance for others. The book focuses on the true life story of Wilma Rudolph, an African-American woman who overcame social and physical obstacles in the early 1960s to represent the United States in the Olympic Games. The "One School, One Book" program, which was designed to create a shared reading experience within a single elementary school community, has inspired Babylon students to read both in and out of the classroom, while helping them learn the importance of Black History Month. "In honor of Black History Month and as part of our character education program, all of our classes will be reading Wilma Unlimited, which is a story about diversity and perseverance," said Babylon Grade School Principal Randee Bonagura. "Students will have the opportunity to learn how people overcame obstacles, and how those triumphs can apply to their lives today." http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=4404 Wed, 01 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT Over 100 students from Babylon High School participated in the Suffolk County Regional Distributive Education Club of America (DECA) competition on Jan. 4 at Suffolk Community College, and 48 of them went home as prizewinners. Eight of the students placed in the top three of their respective events, including first-place finishes by Kerry Glenday (Hotel & Lodging Management), Nick Santorelli (General Marketing), Kelly Corcoran (Retail Merchandising), and Jessica Altieri (Decision Making Marketing). Seniors Kate Wilson (Broadcast Advertising) and Taylor Middleton (Apparel & Accessories Marketing) earned second-place finishes, while the team of Greg Dieterich and Bryan Hubert notched third-place in the Travel and Tourism category. "Our students represented Babylon well with their professional dress and outstanding behavior," said Claire P. Reilly, Babylon High School's Director of Practical Arts. "Mr. Andrew Marulis and I would like to thank all of our participants for a great day at Suffolk DECA." http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=4391 Tue, 31 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT Over two dozen members of Babylon High School's Science National Honor Society stopped by the Memorial Grade School on Jan. 25 to offer Heather Hosek's sixth-grade class advice on setting up data tables for an upcoming science project. The event, which has become an annual tradition in the District, was arranged by Babylon High School science teacher Melissa Callahan and Memorial Grade School science teacher Heather Hosek, who are also co-founders of the Babylon chapter of the Science National Honor Society. "The sixth-graders have science projects coming up," Hosek said. "The 11th and 12th-grade honor students came down to give them some directions and tips to work with them on setting up data tables. They're using their expertise that they've been learning over the years, and passing it on to help mentor the sixth-graders with their projects." The participating high school students were pleased with their overall efforts, as they maintained the National Honor Society's goals of active involvement in school activities and community service, while displaying excellence in the areas of leadership, service and character. "It's important to make sure that kids learn about science and get interested in it," said Olivia Smith, a Babylon High School student and Science National Honor Society member. "By showing them that older students enjoy science, it'll make them realize that it's something 'cool' to learn about, and hopefully they'll want to do it, too." http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=4312 Wed, 25 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT The Babylon School District offers a full-day kindergarten program for students residing within district lines. In order to enroll in the program for this September (2012), children must be five years old on or before December 1, 2012 and registered during the open registration period. This year, residents can register their children on: Wednesday, March 14 from 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. and Thursday, March 22 from 9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m., 1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. at Babylon Elementary School Two proofs of residency (no bills are accepted) must be presented at registration. These include two (2) of the following: a driver’s license (with photo), an updated town/village tax bill, an updated W-2 form, a current lease, mortgage statement, etc. (no utility bills will be accepted as proof of residency). If the driver’s license does not have a current address, an additional proof of residency (e.g., mortgage statement or copy of deed) will need to be presented. If you lease or rent and do not have an updated lease, an owner’s affidavit will need to be signed and notarized, along with a copy of the owner’s updated tax/village utility bill. Parents must supply the district with the child’s most recent immunization record. Children must have had two (2) MMRs and two (2) Varivax (Chicken Pox) vaccinations in order to sign up for kindergarten screening. Physicals will be mandatory prior to the start of kindergarten. Registration packets will be available for pickup in the Babylon Elementary School Main Office, 171 Ralph Avenue, the week of February 27, 2012. http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=4243 Wed, 18 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT Mrs. Shannon Saturno and Mrs. Kim Ricchiuti's third-grade students at Babylon Memorial Grade School learned themes of tolerance, racial diversity, and acceptance last week in honor of Martin Luther King Day. On Jan. 13, the students "broke a few color barriers" by running a scientific experiment involving brown and white eggs. The children were asked to write about what they thought would be inside each color egg, before finally cracking the eggs into a bowl and whisking them together. The students ultimately observed that the eggs came in all different shades and colors on the outside, but that they were all the same on the inside, just like people. "During the lesson, we tried to emphasize that although we may look different on the outside, we are all the same inside," Mrs. Ricchiuti said. "Therefore, we should all be treated equally." Earlier in the week, the students read Mem Fox's Whoever You Are, a book that discusses how children all over the world have differences such as race and gender, but that every child shares a common ground. http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=4218 Mon, 16 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT Mrs. Stork's art classes at Babylon Elementary School are working hard on building an eight-foot-tall mural made of recycled bottle caps, as part of a lesson on the pointillist technique used by artists such as Georges Seurat. In pointillism, an artist uses strategically repeated, tiny, contrasting dots and color spots to create a work of art, rather than a more traditional impressionist approach. As an example, Mrs. Stork showed the students an image of Seurat's famous pointillist painting, A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte, before work started on the mural. Stork said she wanted to create a pointillist rendering of the Fire Island Lighthouse because of its iconic nature. "When people think of Fire Island and Babylon, they think of the lighthouse," Stork explained. "Almost everyone in the whole entire school knows it. It's an icon of Babylon.” She added, “A lot of people live at the beach right near it. The main things you would associate with the town are either the train station or the lighthouse." Teaching students the importance of recycling is another key component to the project, according to Mrs. Stork. "It's one thing to take stuff, sort it, and not do anything else with it, but we're taking stuff that you would normally throw away. We then sort it and make something else out of it.” http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=4220 Mon, 16 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT Click here for more information http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=4161 Wed, 11 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT Babylon Memorial Grade School students have been very busy this holiday season. The Student Council sponsored a food drive to collect food for the Babylon Food Pantry. Council members Kristen Szuthy and Meghan Flaugher, third graders in P. Murphy’s class, were among the students who donated food. As Kristen pointed out, “It feels good to be able to help people.” The Kids Discovery Club, with fourth-grade teacher C. Murphy at the helm, ran a coat drive that received an overwhelming student response. “We received mountains of coats to donate to the local shelters,” Principal Randee Bonagura said. “People were very generous. We collected over 150 coats.” Kaileigh Ringstad was just one of the students who brought in several coats from home. She was happy to see them going to good use instead of being thrown away. Not to be left out, fifth and sixth graders held a fundraiser in the cafeteria during lunch to benefit Ronald McDonald House Charities. Children and adults donated 25 cents in exchange for coloring a paper ornament. http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=3944 Thu, 15 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT At the Babylon School District’s monthly Board of Education meeting on December 12, select students in the district were recognized for their outstanding accomplishments. Interim Superintendent Dr. Peter Daly said, “Tonight we are going to recognize some of the best and the brightest walking the halls of Babylon High School.” First to be honored by the Board, however, was Connor McHugh, a third grader at Babylon Memorial Grade School. At the tender age of eight, Connor has already done a world of good for needy children in the district. When he was in second grade, Connor got the idea to start collecting recycled bottles, a concept he attributed to his uncle. “My uncle collects water bottles and gives them to needy children,” he explained, “so that got me started.” Connor began by collecting water bottles from classrooms throughout Babylon Elementary School, an effort he has continued at the Grade School. With the money he raised, he bought backpacks and filled them with school supplies, which he also purchased. He used the third-grade supply list to ensure he was buying the correct supplies for needy children in the district. A social worker at the school helped to distribute the backpacks. Babylon Memorial Principal Randee Bonagura stated, “Connor is very modest. He doesn’t go around bragging about all the wonderful things he does. He’s an inspiration to lots of kids—and grown-ups, too.” After recognizing Connor, the Board honored four musicians and three athletes from Babylon High School. Dr. Daly said, “What’s amazing is that these students are not only gifted athletes or musicians, they are also wonderful students. The seven of them have a cumulative GPA of 96. All seven are also All-County musicians or athletes, and a few are even All-State.” He went on to add, “[Tenth grader] Mikaila Hartigan is an All-County gymnast who has qualified for the New York State competition on March 3. Sisters Julianne and Carolyn Koch are All-County and All-State swimmers, and Carolyn just signed a National Letter of Intent to compete for Division 1 Lehigh.” http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=3926 Wed, 14 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT Sixth graders in the Home and Career Skills classes of Jenna Cucci and Lisa Brush created a beautiful quilt with help from teachers Joy Torrey and Cindy Theiss, who came into the classroom to assist with the project. The Christmas quilt was donated to the historic Conklin House and was raffled off at the end of the annual Christmas House Tour on December 2 and 3. Over $200 was raised for ongoing restoration projects at the historic landmark. http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=3936 Wed, 14 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT Congratulations to Babylon Junior-Senior High School’s librarian Jane Herbst, who was nominated for the I Love My Librarian Award in a national contest sponsored by the Carnegie Corporation of New York. Exceptional public school, college, community college and university librarians were recognized. Nominated by their fellow teachers, ten librarians received a $5,000 award, a plaque and a $500 stipend to attend an awards ceremony in New York City on December 8. Herbst has been the BHS librarian for 20 years. Prior to her position in Babylon, she worked in the South Huntington School District. “It feels nice to be appreciated,” Herbst said. “I like working with kids and helping them find what they need. It makes me feel like a detective. I am always telling the kids, ‘Give me a clue so I can help you find the book you need.’ I really enjoy my job.” Congratulations to Jane on receiving this honor! It’s always good to be loved. http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=3912 Mon, 12 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT On Saturday, December 3, Santa Claus paid his nineteenth visit to Babylon Elementary School. Over 300 people awaited his arrival in the school cafeteria, singing “Jingle Bells” when he entered. Before Santa’s arrival, there was plenty of activity for both children and adults. They enjoyed a bagel breakfast, colored pictures, and took photos in front of various holiday backdrops. They also visited the sixth-grade fundraising fair in the lobby, where they purchased raffle tickets in hopes of winning one of many prizes. After shaking hands with everyone, Santa posed for photos with the children in front of a beautiful Christmas backdrop. Before going on his merry way, he read “Twas the Night Before Christmas” for all in attendance. http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=3843 Tue, 06 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT On November 23, all second graders in the Babylon Elementary School celebrated the holiday with their own Thanksgiving feast. The six classes began the festivities by entertaining the crowd with several songs, singing under the direction of music teacher Colleen Angerami. After the performance, student Kaitlyn Kelly spoke about her lineage tracing back to the Pilgrims, most notably William Bradford, the leader of the Plymouth colony in Massachusetts. Bradford wrote Of Plymouth Plantation, which is purportedly the single most complete authority for the story of the Pilgrims and the early years of the colony they founded. The activities concluded with parents, grandparents and students alike enjoying the holiday feast. It was a fun morning for all involved. http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=3721 Mon, 28 Nov 2011 00:00:00 GMT Babylon High School senior Carolyn Koch recently signed a National Letter of Intent to swim for Lehigh University next fall. According to Athletic Director Michael DeJoseph, Koch is an individual swim competitor representing Babylon. “We had eight individuals participate this fall from grades 7 through 12,” he stated, explaining, “An athlete in cross-country, track, swimming or gymnastics whose school does not field a team in that sport may enter the Section XI Individual Championship if he or she meets the standards established by the chairman of that sport.” DeJoseph added that Carolyn practices at Half Hollow Hills West High School and competes in individual competitor meets. Babylon provides a supervisor, Kerri Whalen, for all individual meets. At the NYSPHSAA Championships held at Erie Community College in Buffalo on Saturday, November 19, Carolyn placed third in the 100-yard freestyle and fourth in the 50-yard freestyle. And Carolyn is not the only swimmer in her family - her sister, tenth grader Julianne, placed sixth in the 200-yard freestyle. Congratulations to Carolyn on her well-deserved achievement! http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=3722 Mon, 28 Nov 2011 00:00:00 GMT At the Babylon School District’s November 14th Board of Education meeting, the crowd got a taste of Babylon High School’s upcoming show, Man of La Mancha, after listening to song performances by Babylon High School thespians Matt McLean and Tyler Gumpel. According to Lisa Drance, director of the school’s theater program, Man of La Mancha will be held on Friday, December 9 and Saturday, December 10 at 8 pm, and Sunday, December 11 at 2 pm. All shows will be held in Rowe Hall, and tickets may be purchased at the door. Prices are $10 for adults, $5 for students and $2 for senior citizens. There will be a senior citizen dinner at 3:30 pm and show at 5 pm on Thursday, December 8. Admission for the senior citizen dinner and show is free. http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=3723 Mon, 28 Nov 2011 00:00:00 GMT Babylon Memorial Grade School students decided to put their Halloween candy to good use. The children brought in their unopened candy, which student council members bagged to send to U.S. troops in Afghanistan along with hand written letters of appreciation and support. According to teacher Rita Bartenback, who supervised the fifth- and sixth-grade student council members during the activity, the students assembled 300 bags of candy. Mrs. Patricia Murphy worked with the third- and fourth-grade student council members the day before to bag the majority of the candy. The resourceful idea, initiated by fifth grader Catie H, proved to be a fun school project and a great treat for the troops stationed overseas. http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=3692 Tue, 22 Nov 2011 00:00:00 GMT Babylon, NY – Babylon Elementary School students brought in food for four needy families whose children attend the school. In addition to these donations, the families will receive a coupon for a turkey and a gift card to Stop & Shop. Although people are in need throughout the year, witnessing the inpouring of these generous donations lifted spirits and brought a sense of community to the students during this special season. http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=3693 Tue, 22 Nov 2011 00:00:00 GMT The Suffolk Zone Chapter of the New York State Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance grants an award to one male and one female senior from each school district in Suffolk County. Receiving the award for Babylon High School this year are Maggie Griffo and Greg Dieterick. The award-eligible senior must have a 90 or higher average in PE; maintain an overall GPA of at least 3.0 in his or her junior year; and display outstanding character, making an exceptional effort to be cooperative, honest, poised, self-confident, attentive, industrious and enthusiastic toward class activities while working hard to support the instructional efforts of the class. The senior must also be described as a leader in class activities; demonstrate responsibility for regular class tasks; serve as an officer in a school organization or club, captain a sports team, and/or volunteer for a support group such as the Special Olympics; and live a healthy lifestyle inside school as well as in the community. The awards will be presented to the seniors on Wednesday, December 7 at 6:45 pm, at the Hyatt Regency Wind Watch and Golf Club in Hauppauge. http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=3683 Mon, 21 Nov 2011 00:00:00 GMT The Babylon School District held a Board Recognition Night during its Board of Education meeting on November 14, 2011. The evening started off on a spirited note with a cheer from the high school cheerleaders, after which high school thespians Matt McLean and Tyler Gumpel performed a song from their upcoming play, Man of La Mancha. Following these stellar performances, the Board of Education received certificates from Western Suffolk BOCES, the PTA and the PTSA. K-6 PTA President Heather Tenety presented the certificates and thanked each Board member for his or her dedicated service to the school district. The special meeting also recognized the Babylon Panthers Field Hockey team, who was congratulated for becoming 2011 Suffolk County Class “C” Champions. In light of this accomplishment, Superintendent Dr. Peter Daly noted, “The 2011 team did something incredible: they decided to play a game against Bay Shore, raised $803, and donated it all to the Susan G. Komen Foundation for the Cure. The next week they won the Class ‘C’ Championship.” BOE President Dominic P. Bencivenga said, “Teams are going to win, teams are going to lose. But we raise special kids here. They know how to do the right thing, step up to the plate and help people. At the end of the day, that’s more important than wins and losses.” Added Athletic Director Michael DeJoseph, “This team does it all - through community service, in the classroom, and on the field. They are what all athletes should aspire to.” http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=3685 Mon, 21 Nov 2011 00:00:00 GMT The Board of Education invites residents of the Babylon Union Free School District to participate in a Superintendent Search Community Forum hosted by the consulting firm of Hazard, Young, Attea and Associates on Wednesday, November 30, at 7:30 p.m. in the Babylon Memorial Grade School cafeteria and Thursday, December 1, at 10 a.m. in Rowe Hall of the Babylon Junior-Senior High School. Babylon UFSD Superintendent Profile Survey Please take a moment to complete the online survey at the link below. Please remember that all characteristics listed are desirable, but we are interested in knowing your views about which characteristics are most important for Babylon Schools. https://survey-admin.ecragroup.com/index.php?sid=23678&lang=en http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=3544 Mon, 07 Nov 2011 00:00:00 GMT Congratulations! Babylon Panthers Field Hockey 2011 Suffolk County Class “C” Champions http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=3545 Mon, 07 Nov 2011 00:00:00 GMT Babylon Junior-Senior High School is proud to announce that seniors Matthew McLean and Adam Marrone have been named Commended Students in the 2012 National Merit Scholarship Program. Both seniors have earned this national recognition based on their superior scores on the 2010 PSAT/NMSQT exam. Three outstanding student-musicians have been selected to participate in this year's NYSSMA All-State Conference, to be held in Rochester, NY from December 1-4, 2011. These students are: Sarah Everitt, French Horn, All-State Orchestra Juliette Incandela, Cello, All-State Orchestra Kathryn Oman, Soprano, All-State Women's Choir This distinction marks them as among the top student-musicians in New York State. In addition, four students have been selected to perform at the NYSCAME/SCMEA All-County Festival this November: Matthew McLean, Tenor, Mixed Chorus Kathryn Oman, Soprano, Women's Choir Juliette Incandela, Cello, Orchestra Sarah Everitt, French Horn, Band Congratulations to these talented students! http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=3450 Sun, 30 Oct 2011 00:00:00 GMT Congratulations to Babylon Elementary School’s art teacher, Patricia Stork, who has been chosen as the 2011 New York State Art Teachers Association (NYSATA) Educator of the Year for Region 10. Over the years, Ms. Stork has filled many positions ranging from K-12. She joined the Babylon School District in 2009 as an art teacher, after garnering years of experience as a teacher in the Farmingdale and Commack school districts. She now teaches all of the art classes at the Babylon Elementary School as well as Grade 6 art in the winter/spring at the Babylon Grade School. Regarding her hands-on approach to art education, Babylon Elementary School Principal Dana Basile stated, “Pat is truly extraordinary...she not only keeps the students engaged during class, but she also does enrichment art classes in the building and finds Long Island events to put the children's work in. The latest will be The Colors of Long Island exhibit, which is held in Stony Brook each fall.” Pat has been an active member of NYSATA since 2003. For the past four years she has been involved with the NYSATA portfolio as an adjudicator, a mentor for students, and an instructor for other teachers. Last year she became the co-coordinator of the YAM workshops in the district. She is presently active in helping with professional development for Region 10. NYSATA is made up of art teachers from all over New York State. There are ten regions, two of which are Suffolk and Nassau Counties. Each spring, the regions nominate teachers. The nominees must then submit their resumes along with reference letters that describe the actions they have taken to advance art education both in and outside of the schools. Winners are announced in the fall and awards are given out at the annual NYSATA conference. This year, the conference will be held in Tarrytown from November 18-20. Of the ten art teachers who represent their region at the conference, one is selected as the NYSATA Educator of the Year. http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=3363 Sun, 23 Oct 2011 00:00:00 GMT Homecoming festivities at Babylon Junior/Senior High School started on Friday night as the students showed their true school spirit at their pep rally. Because of the rain, the rally was held inside the gym, but that did not dampen anyone’s spirits. As the crowd of students and staff cheered, eleven varsity teams were announced: girls gymnastics, tennis, volleyball, swimming, cross country, field hockey, soccer and cheerleading; and boys cross country, soccer and football. Babylon’s high school band, led by band director Charles Leech, kept everyone entertained with a number of tunes, and the night ended with the announcement of the homecoming court candidates. A good time was had by all, including Principal Al Cirone and Assistant Principal Steve Goldberg, who were on hand to join students and show their school pride. The weather cleared up on Saturday morning just in time for the homecoming parade. Community residents applauded and cheered as the parade, led by the high school band, marched through the village’s streets. Each grade proudly marched alongside their float, and the members of the homecoming court were full of smiles and waves for the crowd. The parade ended at the high school football field, where the varsity football team was ready to take on the Port Jefferson Royals. And boy, were they ready! The Panthers shut out the Royals, 40-0, making Homecoming 2011 a day to remember. http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=3318 Wed, 19 Oct 2011 00:00:00 GMT It didn’t matter that it was dark, chilly and drizzling: Babylon High School students, including many Student Council members as well as other Babylon residents, were on the high school track to walk for the cause. Throughout the walk, Babylon Breast Cancer Coalition (BBCC) volunteers handed out pamphlets providing information about which plastics were the safest to use, and which fruits and vegetables contained the most pesticides. Student Council members sold cupcakes baked by a Babylon Junior/Senior High School graduate. Monies raised will go toward the BBCC’s education and advocacy programs. According to their website, http://www.babylonbreastcancer.org, the BBCC was founded in 1993 by three friends from Babylon, after two of them were diagnosed with breast cancer. They decided to try to fight the disease by raising awareness and educating women about breast cancer. This volunteer-driven grassroots organization serves the entire Township of Babylon and now helps those with all gynecological cancers in addition to those with breast cancer. The BBCC provides support to help patients and their families in the community at large, offering educational programs to encourage healthier lifestyles that would decrease the still very high instance of these cancers in our community. http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=3319 Wed, 19 Oct 2011 00:00:00 GMT Click Here for More Information http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=3310 Mon, 17 Oct 2011 00:00:00 GMT Babylon Memorial Grade School students learned about the importance of fire prevention as well as some life-saving safety tips when members of the Babylon Fire Department, which included Chief Tony Cardali, First Assistant Chief Paul Twardy, and former Chief Brad Maier, paid a visit to the school. They “deputized” Principal Randee Bonagura as the “honorary chief of the school, the acting chief of the day,” as former Chief Maier stated in welcoming her to the community. Maier then shared some important words of advice with the students. “Know your address,” he told them. “Know how to get out of your house. Get the lay of the land. How would you get everyone out of the house? Have a central meeting place. Know your phone number.” He also emphasized the most important safety precautions for families to take at home. “Every time you change your clocks, change the batteries in your smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors. Those are the most important pieces of equipment in your house. Don’t have too many things plugged into one outlet.” He added, “If there’s a fire in your house, leave the house as quickly and safely as you can. Don’t go back in to get your iPods. Toys are replaceable, but you aren’t. You are all one of a kind.” Kelly Maier, daughter of the former chief and a firefighter herself, presented several awards for a contest in which the students had participated. Mr. Rossi’s fifth-grade class won for best classroom project. In the poster contest, Mrs. Lang’s class won for the third grade and Mrs. Henderson’s for the fourth. The sixth graders had taken part in an essay contest: first place went to Carson Brennan, second to Regina Branca, and third to Amanda Guerra. After the awarding, the students went outside to see how the Jaws of Life worked as the firefighters removed the door from a car with this special tool. Perhaps the most visually exciting part of the presentation was when Kelly Maier dropped two melons to demonstrate the importance of wearing protective headgear. One melon was equipped with a helmet while the other was not. The melon with the helmet remained unbroken, while the one without smashed to pieces on the ground. The desired effect of the demonstration was achieved as students reacted to the sight of the melon pieces on the ground. “Please wear your helmets when you ride your bike,” former Chief Maier said. “It’s the law in New York State, and we want you to be safe.” http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=3260 Thu, 13 Oct 2011 00:00:00 GMT Twenty-eight students in Mr. Andrew Marulis’s Personal Financing class at Babylon High School achieved 90% or better on the 2010-2011 New York State financial literacy exam administered by the Working in Support of Education (WISE) program. Through the WISE Financial Literacy Certification Program (FLCP), a school is designated a Blue Star School if 75% of the students taking the class pass the certification test with an average score of 80%. These Blue Star Schools are publicly recognized at the Annual MoneyPOWER Conference each November. In addition, if 90% or more of the students pass the test, the teacher becomes a Gold Star Teacher. Congratulations to both Mr. Andrew Marulis and his students. http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=3219 Sun, 09 Oct 2011 00:00:00 GMT Babylon Junior High School seventh-grade students taking Science 7 just completed an interesting experiment: the Mini Boat Regatta Lab. The classes were divided into three groups, with each group having to create a sailboat using only 100 Popsicle sticks and a small bottle of glue. Working together, the individual teams brainstormed how they would design their boat’s hull. They had four choices: a flat bottom, a vee bottom, a round bottom or a multi-hull model. They also had to agree on a group name and a name for their boat. All of their work leading up to the big race had to be completed within three class periods. When the projects were finished, Director of Science and seventh-grade teacher Jeff Kenney’s students competed against the students in Mary Beth Schappert’s class in a boat race. Each group’s boat had 30 seconds to float down the homemade water track, constructed by Ms. Schappert’s father. Two groups, one representing each class, competed against each other until all had completed the race. Awards were given out in five categories: the longest distance traveled, the fastest boat, the best boat design, the best boat name, and the fastest boat to sink. Yes, to sink. Some of the boats sank immediately upon entering the water. Others made it only halfway down the track before sinking. And some boats sailed easily to the finish line. Each winner had five points added to their lab grade. In the end, three groups’ boats made it to the finish line: two from Mr. Kenney’s class and one from Ms. Schappert’s. “Tomorrow, the students will analyze what they did right, what they did wrong, and how they could have made their boat better,” stated Mr. Kenney. “They will see how their boat performed compared to the class average. They will also look at the boats that performed the best and observe what it was about that boat’s design that helped it to win.” All in all, it was a fine day for a race. http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=3220 Sat, 08 Oct 2011 00:00:00 GMT We believe Governor Cuomo’s decision to veto a bill that would provide $100,000 in state building aid reimbursement to the Babylon district is an excessive response to what is fundamentally a clerical error. The special legislation had been approved by the state Assembly and Senate to address late paperwork filings associated with the completion of building projects eligible for state aid. We acknowledge, and take responsibility for, this filing error. Our view, however, is that the state aid -- which amounts to less than $7,000 per year -- is owed to the district. We look forward to working with our legislators and the Governor’s office to help reclaim these funds during the 2012 legislative session. http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=3135 Mon, 26 Sep 2011 00:00:00 GMT Babylon School District Interim Superintendent of Schools Dr. Peter R. Daly continued the district’s tradition of honoring those staff members who have served the Babylon School District for 20 or more years. Twenty years service recognition was given to: Constance O’Shea, Lorraine Festa, Laura Jayne and Richard Punzone. Donna Cabral, Patrick Chatterton, and John Cooke were congratulated for 25 years of dedicated service. Patricia Murphy and Geraldine Proto, not present, were recognized for their 30 years of service, and Theresa Altieri, though not present, had the distinction of being the only staff member to be recognized for 40 years of service. Congratulations to all. http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=3094 Tue, 20 Sep 2011 00:00:00 GMT Babylon Elementary School students had a wonderful surprise when Liberty Balloon Company pilot Carroll Teitsworth and one of his hot-air balloons paid a visit to their school during their first assembly of the new school year. “Captain Carroll,” as Principal Dana Spincola called him, was making his first trip to the area, and enjoyed teaching the children about hot-air balloons. The Groveland, New York resident is a 36-year veteran pilot. After explaining to the students the history of hot-air balloons and how they work, the children all got to go inside a partially inflated balloon (known as an “envelope”) inside their gymnasium. Much to their amazement, Captain Carroll explained to the students that when the balloon is fully inflated, it’s as tall as a seven-story building. Even partially inflated, it took up most of the gymnasium. But that wasn’t the end of this enriching experience. Captain Carroll then led the students outside, where they saw the balloon’s basket—the part of the hot-air balloon that people stand in. Captain Carroll turned on the burners, which are normally used to fill the envelope with hot air, sending it airborne. The children were amazed to see the flames shoot in the air and hear the noise the burners made. Captain Carroll shared that the two burners were as powerful as 150 home furnaces. It was quite an unusual lesson on hot-air balloons and one the students won’t soon forget. http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=3076 Mon, 19 Sep 2011 00:00:00 GMT On Wednesday, September 7th, on a rainy morning, the Babylon School District opened its doors for the 2011-2012 school year and welcomed its incoming students. The district also welcomed several new principals: Junior/Senior High School Principal Al Cirone and Babylon Memorial Grade School Principal Randee Bonagura. http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=3057 Sun, 18 Sep 2011 00:00:00 GMT The day finally arrived: On a beautiful sunny morning, 138 seventh graders, some nervous, many smiling, entered Babylon Jr./Sr. High School for their orientation. Some had been there before with older siblings; many were arriving for the first time. New Principal, Al Cirone, waited in the lobby to greet them as they filed into the auditorium. Once everyone was seated, parents and children, Principal Cirone introduced himself. “Good morning and welcome to the Class of 2017. I’m glad you’re here. I’m your new principal,” he said. Mr. Cirone also introduced several staff members, including 10-year veteran, Assistant Principal Steve Goldberg. Principal Cirone tried to ease the students’ concerns. “Many of you fear making mistakes. You fear you will feel foolish. We are here for you. It is normal to be nervous,” he stated He gave them some words of advice. “Keep a positive attitude. Most people are about as happy as they make up their minds to be. This is a difficult transition, from the grade school to the junior/senior high school. It’s a transition from childhood to young adulthood. Sixth through eighth grades are very important because you are setting the foundation for your success in high school and beyond.” He went on to explain that a great deal will be different for them now. “This is the first time you will be learning in six to seven classrooms. You will now have lockers. You will be responsible for getting to class on time and doing your homework,” he stated. But he said, “Our jobs here are to help you with whatever you need. Don’t be afraid to ask. You just need to worry about yourself and stay on target. Our goal is to create a group of empowered 21st-century students. We hope to inspire in you a passion for learning.” The guidance counseling center director, Tracy Lesnick, told the students, “It’s an exciting morning for everyone. My son is in orientation for high school now. So I understand your anxiety.” She told everyone “Your agendas are your first step in communication.” She reminded them, “We are here to help you out. Remember: community service is not a chore. Start volunteering now.” Lesnick added, “Reading is so important. Get in the habit of reading.” She asked the parents to lead by example and let the children see them reading as well. Student Council seniors Adam Marrone, Katie Lydakis and Hannah Wyllie were also on hand to explain about some of the fun activities that the school offers, like Spirit Week, Homecoming, BHS Presents and Powder Puff Football. Adam Marrone said to the seventh graders, “Don’t be scared. With practice you will get to your classes on time, get your lockers open and learn your schedules. Remember: There is no fourth or fifth floor pool. Get involved and have fun.” http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=3059 Sun, 18 Sep 2011 00:00:00 GMT Click Here for More Information http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=3067 Sun, 18 Sep 2011 00:00:00 GMT Click Here for More Information http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/News/Story.aspx?id=3068 Sun, 18 Sep 2011 00:00:00 GMT