Islip School District special education students Bentley Alfaro, Connor Brennan, Ashton Deras, El Evans, Mickey O’Connell, Liam Ochoa, Alex Ruiz and Donovan Zecchini proudly participated in the 2023 Special Olympics New York Track and Field competition, held on May 6 at the Farmingdale School District. Additionally, Islip student Tommy Capolongo attended practices but could not attend the final event.  

“We would like to congratulate all the participants on a job well done,” Assistant Superintendent for Student Support Services Dr. Kathleen O’Callaghan said. “Thanks to coaches Dave Claps, Chris Evans and Kristy Evans for all of their time and effort.”

Date Added: 5/25/2023

Seventh graders in English teacher Claire Nyman’s classes at Islip Middle School recently enjoyed a special acting adventure with visitor Heather Von Thorgersen. A teaching artist in the fields of dance, music and drama, Von Thorgersen worked with the students to use their creativity in body positioning and gestures.

“Acting is not telling, it’s showing,” Von Thorgersen told the students as she guided them through fun theater exercises such as “I Am a Tree.”

“My students loved every second of their time with Heather,” Nyman said. “It was a great experience.”

Date Added: 5/24/2023

Islip High School and Islip Middle School students recently raised $1,000 by participating in the Islip School District’s fourth American Legion Walk-A-Thon for veterans on April 27. After classes, students bearing patriotic banners walked with teachers and administrators to the U.S. Vietnam Veterans Memorial on Main Street, where they presented a check to American Legion representatives. The money students raised will help fund honor flights for veterans’ organizations.

“Thank you to all the students who participated today,” Islip Town Supervisor Angie Carpenter said. “There are so many more students here this year than last year, and I am hoping that next year it will grow even more. You are doing so much to lift the spirits of our veterans.”

“This is a cause that is near and dear to my heart,” said Superintendent Dr. Dennis O’Hara, who has two sons actively serving in the U.S. military. “You should be proud of yourselves for doing service and putting in effort that will help people beyond yourself. I’m proud of you for all the hard work you’ve been doing.”

Date Added: 5/23/2023

The Islip School District celebrated the community’s diversity at the annual Multicultural Night on March 15, a special event featuring  cultural performances, various art displays, music and languages. Divided into two parts, the evening included readings from students and demonstrations of various cultural dances such as the Italian tarantella and Irish step dancing in the Islip High School auditorium. Following these presentations, attendees visited the school’s cafeteria, where they had the opportunity to interact with students and parents who displayed clothing, artifacts and other elements of their respective cultures, as well as participate in numerous activities including face painting and calligraphy.

“Tonight’s program is extensive, it is exciting, and it shows why it’s so important to embrace our diversity and celebrate all of the different cultures, heritages and languages that make up the Islip School District,” Superintendent Dr. Dennis P. O’Hara said.

“We are proud that Islip has 14 different languages and many cultures within our district,” said Rabia Hirji, Islip’s coordinator of ENL and world languages. “Our students have been learning about various holidays and cultures around the world from multicultural clubs in all our schools, and are very excited and proud to share what they have learned and to showcase all the beautiful displays they created.”

Date Added: 4/6/2023