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The 2015-2016 school year is nearing the end. It feels like it has just begun. Time definitely
flies when you're having fun! We have many exciting end of the year activities happening
during the month of June. Grade level field days are being held in the beginning of June,
many classes will be going on fun field trips and our 5th grade Moving-up Ceremony will be
held on June 20th. We hope you will be able to come and enjoy these events with your child.
At this time we would like to thank all of our parents who have helped us through volunteer-
ing their time at our school. It is greatly appreciated. Collaboration is the key to success. We
look forward to seeing you at the Volunteer Breakfast on June 3rd.
Many of our school events are sponsored by our Moriches PTO. The executive board consists
of: Elizabeth Dingman, Diana Klein, Lisa Almonte, Jennifer Savnik, Christina Glauber, Steve
Glauber, Debra Guercio, Kathy Ferriolo, Erin Luhrs and Stephenie Scott. They are a group of
highly motivated and dedicated individuals that have been very helpful and supportive of the
programs at Moriches Elementary School. On behalf of the students and the staff we thank
them for their countless hours of work and commitment to our school community!
We would like to take this opportunity to honor and give thanks to one of our extra-ordinary
teachers at Moriches Elementary School who is retiring at the end of this school year, Mr.
Dave Pia. He is such a dedicated and committed professional that will be missed dearly by his
colleagues, students and families at Moriches Elementary School. We wish him the best of
luck in his future endeavors.
We would like to wish everyone a safe and fun summer vacation! May everyday be filled with
sunshine and enjoyment. Remember to read plenty of books throughout the entire summer
and keep learning wherever you go! Make sure to visit the public library periodically through-
out the summer. Thank you for voting and approving the 2016-2017 school budget!
MORICHES ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
2015-2016 Parent Newsletter (3rd Edition)
Principals’ Message
In March Moriches students participated in Hoops for Heart, a national education
and fundraising program sponsored by the American Heart Association and
SHAPE America. They promote physical education and provide children with
knowledge of heart disease while raising funds for heart disease research and
health education. For one week during physical education classes students
played basketball and participated in various exercise stations. Students were
encouraged to bring in donations from family and friends. A total of $1,800 was
raised for this worthwhile cause. GREAT JOB MORICHES!
Ranger Eric visited
all the Kindergarten
classes to talk
about insects.
He introduced
the students to
an insect called a
“Walking Stick.”
The Kindergarten Classes attended a Wiggly Worm assembly.
The Maritime Explorium located in Port Jefferson came to
Moriches to introduce the students to Earth Worms. By perform-
ing different experiments, the students learned whether the
worms preferred wet or dry conditions, whether they preferred
light or dark conditions and whether they preferred a certain soil
type. A fun learning experience was had by all!
In preparation for the upcoming summer months,
the Kindergarten and First Grade Classes attended
a Water Safety Assembly. They were treated to a
puppet show and then visits from the water safety
characters. They were taught many ways
to be safe around any type of water this summer.
Kindergarten Summer Tips
With summer just around the corner, many parents are starting to make plans. This is a great time to start planning how you can continue what your child has learned in Kindergarten. The local public library has a fan-tastic reading program that encourages reading and offers prize incen-tives. First grade involves increased responsibilities. Your child needs to be able to follow two and three step directions. Children need to be able to focus their attention on a task independently for 15 minutes or more. Parents can help their child by giving verbal two and three step direc-tions. “Please put your toys away, wash your hands, and then sit for din-ner.” Allow your child time to craft independently and provide opportu-nities for him/her to sit down and practice paper/pencil work at a table or desk area for 15 minutes or more. Your child could make lists for the grocery store, write letters to relatives, and even write in a journal daily. Reading together as often as you can is a great way to bond and maintain reading strategies. Ask your child to take turns reading with you. Point out sight words as you read. Predict and take a guess what might hap-pen next in the story. Play rhyming games! See how many rhymes your child can make. This is often silly and full of giggles, but a great way to practice letters, sounds, and word families! Keep math alive during the summer! Help your child maintain and build on their understanding of what the numbers 0-20 represent. Have your child count the number of steps it takes to get to the second floor. Make a number line out of chalk on your sidewalk and have them jump the addition or subtraction math problems. Talk to your child about numbers as often as you can. Going to the beach? Great! You can draw numbers in the sand, collect and count shells, and group the shells by color or size. Clocks and stores with price labels for merchandise are great ways to naturally let math into your daily life. The key is to have fun and keep the learning rolling!
The first grade students have been hard at work learning about adjectives so that
their writing will burst with flavor! While working with adjectives, it’s always fun to
get a little crazy. Each child dressed up in something fancy, tacky or wacky for an
“Adjective Runway Show.” The children strutted down the red carpet to show off
their attire. As each student walked the red carpet, the other children wrote a list
of adjectives to describe his/her outfit. The event was a huge success and the
children had a blast learning!
Our first graders have grown up and learned a lot this year. We are
now gearing up for the end of the year! We have many things planned
as we will be celebrating the end of the year by counting down with
the ABC’s to the last day. Make sure to check your calendars at home
and come to school ready to celebrate!
The second grade classes welcomed The Department
of Environmental Conservation on March 8th.
Students learned about insects and all their
characteristics. The
D.E.C. presentation was
a wonderful hands-on
learning experience
and tied into our
curricular learning.
Students had a
wonderful time!
Mrs. Dunbar’s students dressed up
as insects and learned about the
ladybug.
Mrs. Megna’s 2nd grade class gets up close
and personal with a grasshopper. Below:
Rosary, Chelsie and Jack dressed up as their
favorite insects.
Mrs. Megna’s 2nd Grade Class had lots of fun while experimenting in the science
lab for St. Patrick’s Day. The students turned pennies green with a chemical
reaction!
They also experimented
in the science lab
creating rainbows with
skittles and reactions.
The 3rd grade classes
attended a DEC presenta-
tion called “What’s Wild?”
Mr. Gelardi, the presenter,
discussed the importance of
knowing the difference be-
tween a domesticated and a
non– domesticated animal.
He also talked about ani-
mals in our area and what
their habitats might be.
Mr. Gelardi showed the
students a box turtle and a
chinchilla and they had to
decide if they were
domesticated or non-
domesticated animals. Do
you know the answer?
On March 23rd two of our fifth grade classes had a unique opportunity in the
Moriches Science Lab. Scientists and students from the Bioengineering program
at Stony Brook University came in and provided an exciting authentic hands-on
science activity called Genes In a Bottle. The main focus of the program was a
DNA extraction experiment. Students collected DNA from their own cheek cells
and created a DNA necklace that will last a lifetime.
On March 22nd some of the 5th grade students participated in the Little Doctor’s Program.
Students took turns at various one hour shifts to volunteer their time to help out at the Blood
Drive.
Pictured from
left to right:
Jaden Lopez
Aaron Nelson
Kamilla Montoya
Kaylee Fleming Fernandez
Left to right:
Alyssa Dingman
Emily Murtha
Paul Abbattista
Philip Vetter
Front row left to right:
Dante Scalice
Emily Coleman
Andrew Rea
Back row:
Dasha Kravchuk
Eddie Motl
Kelly Rodriguez
Taylor Benedetto
At the end of March the Box Tops were collected and
counted. The following students were the top winners
of the contest: Larissa Kidney, Owen Aylward, Aisling
Aylward and Kevin Destefano (missing from the
picture).
The following students were the top collectors from each grade:
FRONT ROW: Kathleen Gielarowski, Hayley Leiva, Mia Glauber,
BACK ROW: Alyssa Dingman, Larissa Kidney, Owen Aylward, Aisling
Aylward, Stephen Harned, and Jason Gielarowski
In April Ranger Eric Powers came to Moriches Elementary School and met with
seven classes to discuss various topics dealing with nature. Each of the classes are
involved in his Quail Project (quail eggs are brought into the classrooms and the
students oversee the hatching and care of the baby quails. When the quails are
old enough they are released into the wild to help combat the growing tick popu-
lation). Ranger Eric is a biologist, educator, naturalist, photographer, birder, out-
doorsman and overall nature-lover. He was able to connect students to nature
and wildlife in a meaningful way which left students with a deep understanding
and appreciation for our environment. Ranger Eric specifically discussed his Quail
Project, shared his tick collection and feather collection with students. Students
learned an abundance of knowledge about quails and are applying what they
learned to their own brood of quails, in their classrooms.
The fourth grade went on a field trip to Sweetbriar Nature Center. The students
learned all about the web of life. They learned how the most common living
things have some of the most amazing connections. Each class walked a nature
trail, found homes for wildlife, met live animals, and played games to learn about
the inter-dependency of all life by creating food chains and food webs.
SCIENCE FAIR WINNERS
Kindergarten thru Third Grade
First Place: Amiyah Gumbs ( Kindergarten) —How Does Climate Change the
Browning of Bananas
Second Place: Ethan Walker (1st grade) - What Happens to Gummy Bears When
Placed in Different Liquids
Third Place: Joseph Clay (1st grade) - The Popcorn Project
Fourth Grade
First Place: Devin Cataldo - My Robotic Illustrator
Second Place: Giavanna Moscardino—Areodynamics
Third Place: Kate Samlihan—Bird Feeders
Fifth Grade
First Place: Connor Nocher—Diaper Duty
Second Place: Jonathan Serres—How to Get More From a Solar Panel
Third Place: Nicholas Tarry—Will Lima Beans Grow In Different Conditions
The Science Fair Winners! Pictured from left to right: Amiyah Gumbs, Jonathan
Serres, Connor Nocher, Giavanna Moscardino, Devin Cataldo, Ethan Walker and
Joseph Clay. (Missing from photo: Kate Samlihan and Nicholas Tarry)
For Earth Day, Mrs. Megna’s 2nd
grade class celebrated by making
something creative from only recy-
cled items.
The Moriches Third Grade Recycle Fair. Pictured above are all the different
things made out of recycled materials. Pictured below is Drew Wiegand from
Ms. Robertson’s class who made a whole drum set!
Moriches DEC School Seedling Program On Earth Day, seedlings from the DEC School Seedling Program were planted on the Moriches School grounds. Diana White is a great science resource and shared the information with teachers. Moriches Kindergarten teacher, Melissa Connolly, thought this was a great way to involve students in fun hands-on science learning. Planting and caring for a tree seedling can help young people learn about the natural world and the value of trees in it. DEC's School Seedling Program provides New York State students with this experience. Students learned about what plants need in order to grow. The seedlings planted were from the Wildlife Packet which consists of Highbush Cranberry shrub, Silky Dogwood hedge, and a Pine shrub. These seedlings will grow to be attractive to songbirds as well as a variety of other wildlife. Students had an opportunity to get their hands dirty and help these seedlings take root. As seedlings mature, the young trees can be a continuing, personalized way of relating what they've learned in class to visible, living examples. Students become aware that they can play a role in protecting the environment.
CLASSROOM DOOR CONTEST
Mrs. Churilla’s class welcomed Mrs. Schoefer, Lincoln Schoefer’s mother. She
came in to talk to the class about photography. She explained to the students
how all of her equipment works. She also showed them how you can edit a
picture after it is taken by using a computer software program.
Mrs. Jonaitis‘ class
welcomed Mrs.
Jonaitis’ daughter,
Cassie. She spoke
to the class about
becoming a
Registered Nurse.
Dr. Amy Meyer visited
Mrs. Megna’s 2nd
grade class. Dr. Meyer
taught the class all
about STEM! Each
child became an
engineer and built
their own Bristlebot.
Shown to the left, is
Dr. Meyer’s son, Jack,
assisting his mom.
In the picture below,
some of the 2nd grad-
ers in Mrs. Megna’s
class dressed up for
career day.
Mrs. Dunbar’s 2nd Grade Class
welcomed many people for
Career Week. Pictured to the left
is Mr. Schoefer, Evan Schoefer’s
father. Mr. Schoefer, is a Physicist
at Brookhaven National Labs.
Pictured to the left is Ms.
Nicole Felice Cruz, who is an
Assistant District Attorney.
Pictured above is Ms. Ashley
Appice, who works for the New
York City Police Department.
Students from Mrs. Kadletz’s 1st grade class and Ms. Robertson’s 3rd grade class
welcomed Mr. Blankenship (Dwight and Gavin’s father) into their class during
career week. He is a member of the Nassau County SWAT Division.
Ms. Robertson’s class also had a visit from Mr. Speruta; a retired NYPD officer. He
shared many stories of his time on the force and brought in some awesome
equipment for the students to examine.
Pictured above are the many Career Week visitors for Mrs. Haskins, Mrs. Fassino
and Mrs. Pantke’s classes. Some of the careers that the students were introduced
to were: Police Officer, Librarian, Hair Dresser, Firefighter, UPS Driver, Speech
Pathologist and a Tax & Financial Consultant.
Mr. Klein, father of Luke and Kyle
Klein, is a police officer with the New
York City Police Department. He is
shown here sketching some of the
students in the classes he visited.
Members of the Shirley Ambulance Company visited several classes during Career
Week. Above is Taylor Beltramini, who volunteered to help show how the equip-
ment they carry on board the ambulance works and how it can help to save a life.
Pictured below is Mr. Megna and Mrs. Johnson’s class.
Every year the Suffolk Zone New York State Association for
Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (NYS
AHPERD) recognizes one boy and one girl from each elemen-
tary (Grade 5) and middle school (Grade 8) in Suffolk County for
his/her outstanding performance, leadership and excellence in
the Physical Education. On May 4th at Longwood High School,
Nicholas Tarry from Ms. Haskins class and Lilly Savnik from Mr.
Megna’s class received this award. They were selected by their
physical education teachers. These students have performed
well in the areas of fitness, citizenship and leadership.
Congratulations to Nick and Lilly!
Moriches Elementary June 2016 Calendar Of Events
06/01 Field Day – 3rd Grade – 8:45a.m.-10:45a.m.
06/01 Field Day – Kindergarten – 11:45a.m.-1:45p.m.
06/01 Moriches PTO Mtg., 4:30p.m.; Moriches Library
06/02 Field Day – 5th Grade – 8:45a.m.-10:45a.m.
06/02 Field Day – 2nd Grade – 11:45a.m.-1:45p.m.
06/02 4th Grade Orchestra Full Rehearsal; 2:10-3:10p.m.
06/03 5th Grade PACA trip re. transition (PACA students); 9:00a.m.-12:00noon
06/06 Grade 4 NYS Science Written Test
06/07 Field Day – 4th Grade – 8:45a.m.-10:45a.m.
06/07 5th Grade WFMS Trip re. transition; 9:40a.m.-11:50a.m.
06/07 Field Day – 1st Grade – 11:45a.m.-1:45p.m.
06/07 2nd Grade Field Trip to LI Game Farm; 10:00a.m.-1:30p.m.
06/08 4th Grade – Vanderbilt Museum Van @ Moriches
06/08 4th Grade Band Full Rehearsal; 2:10-3:10p.m.
06/08 4th Grade Band/Orchestra Concert; 2:10-3:10p.m.; Moriches Cafeteria
06/09 3rd Grade Trip to Vanderbilt Museum; 8:30a.m.-1:30p.m.; Centerport
06/09 4th Grade – Vanderbilt Museum Van @ Moriches
06/10 Kindergarten Field Trip to BayWay Theater; 8:30-11:15a.m., East Islip
06/10 2nd Grade Picnic (per schedule)
06/10 5th Grade Dance; 5:30-7:00p.m.; Moriches Gym
06/13 3rd Grade – Vanderbilt Museum Van @ Moriches
06/14 3rd Grade – Vanderbilt Museum Van @ Moriches
06/15 3rd Grade Picnic (per schedule)
06/15 4th Grade Picnic (per schedule)
06/17 5th Grade Picnic (per schedule)
06/19 HAPPY FATHER’S DAY
06/20 5th Grade Moving Up Ceremony; 9:00a.m.
06/22 EARLY DISMISSAL @ 11:10A.M.
06/23 EARLY DISMISSAL @ 11:10A.M – LAST DAY OF SCHOOL