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Babylon Elementary School Celebrates Reading

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Students, Staff Take Part in Activities for Pick a Reading Partner Month

Students and staff at Babylon Elementary School (BES) are celebrating the joys of reading this March with Pick a Reading Partner (PARP) month. As part of PARP, the school is taking part in a variety of reading-related activities, including the BES PARP Olympics, which challenges students to read and log their reading time each week.

The month kicked off with a special Breakfast of Champions event on Friday, March 1 for kindergarteners, as well as an Olympic-themed spirit day. Students took a field trip to the Argyle Theatre for a production of Seussical the Musical, and the school hosted a special book fair. The following Fridays saw Breakfast of Champions events for the first and second graders, respectively, as well as special visits from literary characters such as Curious George. Throughout, students logged their reading times, which were recorded on a display in the school lobby. The month will culminate in a schoolwide reading Olympics parade.

Date Added: 3/22/2024

Introducing Babylon’s 2024 Valedictorian and Salutatorian

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Matthew Heffer and Aemen Iqbal are at the Top of their Class

The Babylon Union Free School District is proud to announce that Matthew Heffer and Aemen Iqbal are the Babylon Junior-Senior High School Class of 2024 valedictorian and salutatorian, respectively.

Matthew has a weighted GPA of 105.07 and is seeking to major in mechanical engineering. At Babylon Junior-Senior High School he took part in the cross country, tennis team, Leo club, jazz band and pit orchestra. He is a founding member of the gardening club at the high school and has been a member of numerous honor societies. He also plays guitar and is an avid photographer.

Aemen has a weighted GPA of 104.13 and is looking to pursue a major in international relations. She has been president of the world language club, vice president of the environmental club, treasurer of the Leo club, and has been a member of the class cabinet, student council, field hockey team, mock trial team and numerous honor societies. She also studies ninjutsu.

“These students have shown great dedication to both their studies and their communities,” said Babylon High School Principal Al Cirone. “Matthew and Aemen have given so much to our school during their time here, and we wish them the best of luck in their careers after graduation.’

Babylon School District Honors Security Personnel

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Tom Parson Recognized for Keeping Students Safe During Investigations

The Babylon School District recognized security guard Tom Parson for his help while police conducted an investigation near the Babylon Memorial Grade and Elementary schools in early March.

Mr. Parson was vital to maintaining a sense of normalcy at the two schools despite a heavy police presence nearby. He was able to rely on his experience as a Suffolk County police officer, now retired, to work with the investigators, inform District administration of any potential disruptions the investigation might cause, and modify daily routines to safeguard students and shield them from potentially disturbing or disruptive activity. He also ensured that media presence, including television cameras and reporters, did not stray too close to the schools and disrupt instruction.

“Mr. Parson was essential in helping us keep our students in the classrooms, learning and going about their days in as close to a normal setting as possible despite the upsetting and disturbing circumstances,” said Superintendent of Schools Carisa Manza. “We wanted to make sure his service and help did not go unnoticed.”

Date Added: 3/22/2024

Babylon Schools Amplify Student Voices

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Elementary and Grade School Student Representatives are Added to Board Meetings

BABYLON, NEW YORK (March 2024)—In an effort to showcase additional student accomplishments, increase communication and celebrate students at all age groups, the Babylon Union Free School District is adding the presence of additional student representatives to its Board of Education meetings.

Students from Babylon Elementary School will be present to lead the meetings in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance, and student council representatives from Babylon Memorial Grade School will be present to give updates on happenings and accomplishments taking place at their school. These new representatives come in addition to the student council representatives from Babylon Junior-Senior High School who have become a staple at the monthly Babylon Board of Education meetings to relay the various exciting things happening in their school.

At the March 11 Board of Education meeting, Babylon Elementary School students Juliette Roades, Leo Margolis and Kaiyah Tacahashi opened the meeting with the Pledge of Allegiance. Ben Thayer and Avery Drago from Babylon Memorial Grade School provided updates from their building.

Their presence is part of the District’s ongoing dedication to student success, which is one of the four main goals the district is focusing on this school year to ensure Babylon schools are the best they can be. The other goals are Continued Focus on Safety and Security, Communication and Community Engagement, and Fiscal Responsibility.

Date Added: 3/14/2024

Babylon Schools Celebrate the Power of Language

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Babylon Students, Staff Take Part in World Languages Week

BABYLON, NEW YORK (March 2024)—The Babylon Union Free School District recently celebrated World Languages Week. This national effort showcases the importance and benefits of learning new languages in a globalized world.

Each day of the week followed a theme, which together spelled the word “POWER” to illustrate the power of learning different languages. Monday’s theme was “People,” Tuesday’s was “Olympics,” Wednesday’s was “Wonders,” Thursday’s was “Eats,” and Friday’s was “Representation.” Each day featured different announcements, events, contests and prizes.

The teachers added to the festivities at the high school by participating in a door-decorating contest, with doors decorated in the spirit of the different power themes. The decorated doors showcased international mathematicians and scientists, natural wonders of the world, culinary delights, artists, the Parisian Olympics and sports displays, people of different cultures and much more. Students and staff were invited to vote for their favorite doors.

On Musique Miércoles, or Music Wednesday, Spanish and French language students held a challenge between Spanish and French music. World language voted on a song in the two respective languages, and while it was a close race, the French song prevailed this year.

The World Languages Club also hosted an afterschool event featuring culturally themed power puzzles. Students from Babylon Memorial Grade school and the high school worked together to solve the puzzles and learned about each other as they worked. Additionally, at the grade school students celebrated World Language Week by learning different ways to say, "Good Morning."

For Thursday, the world languages department invited students to share recipes from their families and the world languages club compiled them into a cookbook. Club members will present a copy of the cookbook to each Board of Education member and administrative staff.

Finally for representation day on Friday, students at the high school were treated to an assembly by Rhythms from the Americas, a dance group that presented various Latino dances with highlights on their origins. The enthusiasm was infectious as hundreds of students volunteered to dance to salsa, bachata, merengue and reggaeton music. After the assembly, students in language classes were visited by community members who volunteered to speak to our students about their rich cultural backgrounds. They included people from Hispanic, Greek, Nigerian and Japanese descent as well as some Babylon students who spoke about their backgrounds and experiences.


Date Added: 3/14/2024