On April 10, elementary music students from Sycamore Avenue, Idle Hour, Edward J. Bosti and John Pearl visited Oakdale-Bohemia Middle School for a special Mock NYSSMA event in preparation for the upcoming NYSSMA (New York State School Music Association) festival.

The young musicians were paired with members of the OBMS Tri-M Music Honor Society, who guided them through their solo pieces, scales and sight reading exercises.

The 2025 NYSSMA festival will take place on April 24 at Connetquot High School.

Date Added: 4/14/2025

The Connetquot community came together for an evening of reading, writing and student achievement on April 10 at the district’s 14th annual Library Literacy Celebration, presented by the district’s library media specialists.

The event showcased an impressive collection of student work from every school in the district, including original poems, stories and essays. Hallways were transformed into literary galleries, highlighting students’ talent in reading and writing.

Families also joined in the fun through a bookmark-making station and a scavenger hunt in which students uncovered letters around Connetquot High School that spelled out a secret word. The Connetquot Public Library also held a raffle drawing for attendees.

A standout moment of the evening was a special reading by student-author Meghan Miller, a junior at Connetquot High School, who shared her published children’s book, “The Great Adventures of Martha Mae”. Inspired by her real-life pet hamster, Martha Mae, the book began as an assignment in her ninth-grade children’s literature class and was completed in a sophomore creative writing course. Meghan detailed her two-and-a-half-year journey to publication in a question-and-answer session after the read aloud. The evening culminated in a book signing, where excited young readers lined up to meet Meghan and have their copies of “The Great Adventures of Martha Mae” personally signed by the author.

Click here to view the Connetquot’s 14th annual Library Literacy Celebration slideshow.

Date Added: 4/14/2025

Connetquot High School was buzzing with energy, creativity and talent during the annual Showcase of the Arts, held on April 4. Parents, students and community members had the opportunity to peruse hundreds of elementary and secondary-level artwork, and attended multiple concerts and performances in the auditorium.

Director of Fine Arts and Music Vincent Malafronte thanked the community for attending the event and the faculty for sponsoring such fine workmanship. “Because of the support from families and the community, we are able to provide opportunities for our students that showcase their creative talents,” Mr. Malafronte said.

The performance schedule included the Oakdale-Bohemia Middle School kickline, Ronkonkoma Middle School kickline and Connetquot High School’s color guard and kickline. Elementary school-level student musicians also showcased their talents in the districtwide orchestra, ukulele, band and chorus ensembles. There were also more intimate performances by the high school’s chamber orchestra and the middle school chamber orchestra.

Click here to view the Connetquot’s Showcase of the Arts slideshow.

Date Added: 4/8/2025

As part of PARP Week, Sycamore Avenue Elementary celebrated Dr. Seuss Day. The day was organized by the school’s PTA and students were given the opportunity to dress as their favorite Dr. Seuss character while the high school’s English Honor Society students read them classics such as “The Lorax”, “Green Eggs and Ham”, “One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish”, “The Cat in the Hat”, “Horton Hears a Who” and” Oh, the Places You’ll Go!”

After they finished reading, the Connetquot High School English Honor Society members led the students in hands-on activities related to the book they read. For example, kindergarteners “made green eggs and ham”, using paper plates and green paint, while second graders colored “Save the Earth” sheets after reading, “The Lorax”. It was a great day of building literacy awareness in Sycamore Avenue’s students while celebrating the legendary Dr. Seuss!

Click here to view the Sycamore Avenue celebrates Dr. Seuss Day slideshow.

Date Added: 3/6/2025

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