On March 28, Edith L. Slocum Elementary fourth grader Arisha Asif shared a book about Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr with her class. She wanted to teach the class about the month-long holiday that she and her family celebrate every year. She also provided the students in Ms. Pinelli’s class with gift bags that contained food and treats that are traditionally served when celebrating Eid at the end of the month of Ramadan.

 

Date Added: 4/1/2025

Mrs. Guastella’s first grade class at Edith L. Slocum Elementary celebrated National Scribble Day on March 27 with creativity and kindness! The first graders were inspired by the book, “I’m Not Just a Scribble” by Diane Alber, a heartwarming story about acceptance and celebrating differences.

After listening to the story, students discussed how such a short story can have such a big impact and shared their thoughts about the author’s message. Students completed a reader’s response and had the chance to create their own unique scribbles, turning simple lines and colors into imaginative works of art.

Each student’s scribble was framed and proudly displayed in the classroom’s very own Scribble Gallery. Mrs. Guastella, a certified art teacher who brings her passion for art into the elementary classroom, loves incorporating artistic expression into her lessons to engage and inspire her students.

 

Date Added: 3/28/2025

First graders in Ms. McGuinness’ class at Edith L. Slocum Elementary completed their first-ever First in Math Competition! This type of competition is designed as a test of the math skills students have been practicing all year.

Students were presented with things they had not seen until right before the event. Specifically, this challenge asked students to build on the math they know but apply it in new ways, demonstrating a deep understanding and mastery of fact and procedural fluency at their first-grade level. 

To top this off, each student was given a certificate for their accomplishments, and the top three in the class were awarded for going above and beyond! Furthermore, math specialist Mrs. Oakes will be creating a bulletin board outside of Ms. McGuinness’ room to showcase their achievements and hard work!

 

 

Date Added: 3/26/2025

In celebration of Dr. Seuss Day, students at Edith L. Slocum Elementary engaged in creative activities inspired by his works. Ms. Mackin's fourth grade class read a variety of Dr. Seuss books, practicing the skill of story elements and summarizing. They then discussed the theme of the story and recreated the cover of the book, writing their theme statement instead of the title. Meanwhile, Ms. Minerva's second grade class brought The Lorax to life by planting their own Truffula trees.

Click here to view the Dr. Suess Day at Slocum slideshow.

Date Added: 3/21/2025

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