Students across the district showcased their dedication and digital skills in this year’s highly anticipated typing competition, “Typing in a T-Bird Wonderland!” Participants collectively logged an impressive 2,690 hours and 32 minutes honing their typing abilities, achieving an outstanding 97% accuracy rate!

The competition, open to second through fifth grade students, challenged the participants to improve their speed and precision. This event not only highlighted the importance of keyboarding skills in today’s digital world but also fostered a sense of accomplishment and friendly competition among students.

The highlight of the event was the much-anticipated winner’s announcement video, which celebrated the top-performing students and classrooms. Teachers and students eagerly watched as winners were revealed.

A heartfelt thank you goes out to the Instructional Technology team, whose creativity and dedication brought this initiative to life. Special recognition is extended to Victoria Pappas, Nikki Frink-Martin and Kristen Fantry, under the leadership of Director of Instructional Technology Elizabeth Weis, for their hard work in organizing this event. Their efforts ensured a seamless and engaging experience for all participants.

Additionally, the success of “Typing in a T-Bird Wonderland” would not have been possible without the encouragement and support of our incredible teachers and staff. Their dedication to fostering student growth and enthusiasm for learning played a crucial role in the competition’s achievements.

As we celebrate this remarkable accomplishment, we extend our gratitude to everyone who participated and supported this initiative. Congratulations to all our students for their hard work, determination, and impressive typing skills! Below are the winning classes with the most minutes total:

Grade 2 - Ms.  Abbinanti, Cherokee Street

Grade 3 - Ms. Gonzalez, Duffield

Grade 4 - Ms. Fierenze, John Pearl

Grade 5 - Ms. D'Ambrosio/ Ms. Feil, Cherokee Street

 

 

Date Added: 3/5/2025

In celebration of Digital Learning Day on Feb. 27, Connetquot honored and recognized teachers around the district who are leading the way in utilizing and integrating digital tools, dubbing them “Digital Heroes”.

These educators have gone above and beyond to support their students and colleagues in navigating the digital learning landscape. Each building principal nominated one Digital Hero from their building who exemplified leadership, innovation and dedication to the integration of technology into the classroom. These educators not only use digital tools effectively but are also sources of inspiration and support for their colleagues.

Congratulations to Julia DeMaio (Idle Hour Elementary), Nicolette D’Ambrosio (Cherokee Street Elementary), Douglas Dos Santos (Oakdale-Bohemia Middle School), Alan Fertmann (Connetquot High School), Patricia Firenze (John Pearl Elementary), Ross Grandin (Connetquot High School), Jessica Grieve (Helen B. Duffield Elementary), Elizabeth Jonas (Edith L. Slocum Elementary), Christina Ladick (Sycamore Avenue Elementary), Lisa Manzo (Edward J. Bosti Elementary) and Debra Smith (Ronkonkoma Middle School) on being named Digital Heroes!

Each winner received a certificate of recognition and a free school subscription to Gemini for the remainder of the year, further supporting their efforts in digital learning.

 

Click here to view the Connetquot’s Digital Heroes slideshow.

 

Date Added: 3/3/2025

Third graders at Cherokee Street Elementary School recently completed the culminating activity in their unit, designing and building their own obstacle course using the Sphero Play app and Sphero Mini robots. With the guidance of computer science and engineering teacher Ms. Ferraro, the students explored the effects of speed on the movement of the robots as they navigated their courses.

Through the Sphero Play app, the students learned how to calibrate and control their bots, gaining valuable coding, teamwork and fine motor skills. They discussed how varying speeds impacted the robot's control, discovering that faster speeds made navigation more difficult.

After completing their obstacle courses, students gathered for a debriefing session, reflecting on what worked, what could be improved upon and the value of collaborating as a group.

Click here to view the Cherokee Street STEM students navigate robot obstacle courses slideshow.

 

Date Added: 2/10/2025

Fifth grade students in Mrs. Isleman’s music class at Cherokee Street Elementary learned an important lesson regarding one of the nation’s most highly regarded civil rights activists, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

As an introduction to the history of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the class explored the powerful hymn, “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” written by poet James Weldon Johnson in 1899.

Students learned about the song’s historical significance and its themes of freedom, hope and racial equality. After discussing the meaning of the lyrics, the class practiced singing the anthem before breaking into small groups to physically act out the message that their respective verse was meant to convey.

This hands-on lesson helped students connect with Dr. King’s message, fostering a deeper appreciation for the values of unity, justice and equality.

 

Date Added: 1/28/2025

Earlier this month, Cherokee Street Elementary welcomed a diverse group of professionals for their exciting and inspiring Career Week. From a Supreme Court Justice to a hair stylist, nurse, accountant, social worker, carpenter, sales manager, civil engineer, physics professor and architect to an NYPD sergeant, detective, massage therapist, air traffic controller, attorney, warehouse supervisor, and more — Cherokee Street students got a front-row seat to the amazing variety of careers out there! Thank you to all the incredible guest speakers for inspiring the next generation!

Click here to view the Cherokee Street’s Career Week 24-25 slideshow.

Date Added: 1/29/2025