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

Smiles and sunshine were out in abundance on the first day of school in the Islip School District on Sept. 7, as excited students returned to Islip High School, Islip Middle School, Maud S. Sherwood Elementary School, Commack Road Elementary School and Wing Elementary School.

“Despite the heat, our students, staff, and faculty enjoyed a positive start to the school year on our first day of classes,” Islip High School Principal Dr. Lara Gonzalez said.

“Students engaged in a variety of community-building activities and their first lessons in each subject area. Our students and teachers were energized and excited to begin a new school year.”

“Our first day was wonderful,” Islip High School Assistant Principal Charlie Rizzuto said. “It was such a great feeling to have students back in the halls of our school. Watching the students reconnect with each other as well as the faculty and staff who they adore so much was heartwarming, to say the least. Islip pride was on full display!”

“What a wonderful and exciting beginning to another school year,” Islip Middle School Principal Timothy Martin said. “The brilliance of the sunshine was only outshined by the joyful smiles on the children’s faces.”

“The best part of the first day was watching the children, as they entered the school, saw the CRES welcoming adults, recognized a familiar face and ran for a big hug or just to share a loving smile,” said David Seinfeld. Commack Road’s new interim principal. “This even happened for some of our second graders who saw a familiar face from Wing. So special!”

“The first day of school is simply one of my favorites, it’s just so special,” Sherwood Principal Briana James said. “It represents new beginnings, new adventures, new friendships and new challenges. The sky is the limit, and we’re all off and running! We are looking forward to an incredible new year.”

“Wing was full of laughter and smiles as we welcomed our new and returning students,” Principal Catherine Glaser said. “The first day always brings so much energy and enthusiasm as students meet new friends, learn new routines and begin their educational journey. We are so happy to have our children back and are excited about the endless possibilities of this new school year.”

Date Added: 9/13/2023

A record number of ninth graders, accompanied by their parents and guardians, participated in Islip High School’s annual freshman orientation on Aug. 31. Eighty Buccaneer University mentors – student leaders in grades 10-12 – gathered with the school’s cheer team, building administrators and many teachers to welcome the 185 incoming freshmen and transfer students who attended. The event, organized by Assistant Principal Meghan Stern and school counselor and Buccaneer University adviser Nicole Hall, included a celebratory BBQ in one of the school’s courtyards.

“It was an informative, energizing and fun-filled morning,” Principal Dr. Lara Gonzalez said. “Special thanks to Ms. Hall and Ms. Stern for their efforts in coordinating this event, and to our Board of Education for assisting with the BBQ.”

“Our peer mentors and varsity cheerleaders didn’t skip a beat with providing the warmest welcome to our incoming Class of 2027,” Hall said. “Our hallways and classrooms were filled with learning about how to navigate high school – literally and figuratively.”

Date Added: 9/7/2023

The Islip School District again partnered this summer with the Suffolk County Department of Labor’s Summer Youth Employment Program, funded by Suffolk County. This year, six Islip High School students qualified for the summer work program, working alongside the school’s custodial staff for six weeks beginning on July 3.

Students assisted in moving furniture out of classrooms, cleaning classrooms, washing and waxing floors, and reading schematics to reassemble offices and classrooms. They also gained experience working outside with the custodians, doing an excellent job in repainting the parking lines, speed bumps and handicap access ramps.

The student workers met with Renee Clock, the Summer Youth Employment Program work-based learning coordinator, on a weekly basis to provide lessons encompassing life skills and world of work readiness. Some of the topics covered included positive personal traits, establishing life and employment goals, identifying realistic job possibilities, communication and teamwork skills, decision making, budgeting and employer expectations. At the end of the seven-week program, students experienced an exit interview and an employee evaluation.
 
“This is a great program and provides the students with the opportunity to not only earn money, but to budget their earnings and explore various career opportunities,” Clock said.

Date Added: 9/7/2023

Islip School District’s Fine Arts Department recently announced the appointment of two new art teachers. Alexsandra Haraden, originally a leave replacement for the 2022-2023 school year, has been hired as a full-time probationary teacher at Islip Middle School, teaching sixth and eighth grade art, while Lisa Sacco has been hired as a full-time probationary teacher at Islip High School following the retirement of longtime art educator Laura Vogelsberg.

Having successfully completed her stint as a leave replacement last year, Haraden has been rehired as a full-time probationary instructor. She earned her bachelor’s degree in interactive media and animation from the Fashion Institute of Technology and her master’s degree in childhood education from Long Island University. Haraden is triple certified to teach grades 1-6 in general education, special education and K-12 visual arts.
“With each stroke of the brush and every pencil line, I aim to empower my students, teaching them that art is not just about the final product, but the journey of exploration and growth,” Haraden said.

Sacco is entering her fifth year as an art educator, having previously taught in the Three Village School District. She graduated from SUNY New Paltz with a degree in visual arts education and is currently pursuing a masters in instructional technology at Touro University.

“I love teaching all types of art, but ceramics and pottery are what I like to do most in my free time,” said Sacco, an avid hiker and gardener who raises monarch butterflies each summer.

“The Islip School District has a rich history of high-level art instruction at every level,” Director of Fine and Performing Arts Michael Hershkowitz said. “Mrs. Haraden and Ms. Sacco not only bring to Islip their incredible talents as working artists, but an enthusiasm for working with students and fostering their creativity and mastery.”

Date Added: 8/28/2023