In recognition of the International Day of Peace on Sept. 21, kindergarten and first grade students at Islip’s Wing Elementary School participated in the annual Pinwheels for Peace project, imagining “whirled” peace by decorating their own pinwheels.

“With each colorful and unique pinwheel, we talked about being peaceful, kind and showing respect for others,” school social worker Allison Rutsky said. “We practice problem solving in peaceful ways.”

Date Added: 9/27/2023

Islip High School’s girls varsity soccer team won the 2023 New York State High School Girls Soccer Hall of Fame tournament on Sept. 10. Over 60 of the top teams in New York State from all six classifications were invited for the two-day weekend event, one of the country’s largest high school soccer tournaments.

Games were played on Saturday, both morning and night, with a two-hour afternoon break during which a Hall of Fame induction ceremony took place, attended by hundreds of fans, family members and athletes. Each team also played a second game on Sunday.

Islip’s Lady Bucs defeated two of the top-ranked teams in their classification over the weekend, while triumphing over a few obstacles. Originally set to depart from Islip High School at 6 a.m. and play at noon, Islip’s team – sharing a bus with Harborfields High School – did not leave the grounds until 11:30 a.m., due to charter bus issues. After a three-hour drive to Niskayuna High School in Schenectady County, the Lady Bucs attended the Hall of Fame ceremony. They wound up playing at 5:30 p.m., coming back from a 2-0 deficit to defeat Nichols School by a score of 4-3, with four different goal scorers: Emma Bowe, Gianna Capolongo, Imani Hood and Nicole Matute. The Lady Bucs then had a quick turnaround, playing their next game the following day at 9 a.m. against a top-ranked Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake team. Abby Dieumegard supplied Islip with the game’s only goal, resulting in a 1-0 win for Islip and the title of Hall of Fame tournament champs.

“Way to go, girls and coaches,” Athletic Director John Sparacio said.

“This was truly a great experience for all,” said Islip coach Mike Reilly, a former Hall of Fame inductee. “Our Lady Bucs are currently 4-0-2, and we look forward to another successful season together, both on and off the pitch.”

Date Added: 9/26/2023

The Islip School District implemented dedicated weekly STEAM classes in its elementary schools for the 2023-2024 school year. In a recent lesson at Commack Road Elementary School, led by teacher Beth Fazio, students were broken up into pairs and challenged to build different types of cup towers. One challenge included not using their hands.

“This week my third graders had their first-ever STEAM class,” Commack Road teacher Shannon Dignam said. “They loved it and can’t wait to go back.”

Students at both Commack Road and Sherwood Elementary Schools will engage in many more exciting STEAM projects throughout the year.

Date Added: 9/21/2023

Islip’s Commack Road Elementary School celebrated International Dot Day on Sept. 15, inspired by the classic book “The Dot” by Peter H. Reynolds.  

In Shannon Dignam’s third grade classroom, students read the book and then engaged in a variety of activities, including a writing activity describing a moment when they felt proud, reflecting the book’s character who feels proud at the end of the story, and using their creativity and imagination to transform colored dots into various items. The third graders then moved outside the classroom to design their own dots with chalk. Some students worked as a team to create a large dot, while others worked individually on their own. Each student received a certificate stating that they had “made their mark” on International Dot Day.

“This day was full of fun and creativity, but also learning,” Dignam said.