Deer Park’s excited second-graders – 138 at John Quincy Adams and 170 at May Moore – enjoyed respective moving up ceremonies on June 14 and June 9, beginning the next step on their educational journeys as they ready themselves to take on new challenges at John F. Kennedy in September.

“On that day, we celebrated all that students have accomplished and what they will accomplish in the future,” said JQA Principal Christine Criscione. “They have learned many things, made many friends and created memories that they will remember for a lifetime.”

"This was a day to mark the efforts of our second-graders,” said Alicia Konecny. “It was a day that took three years for our students to reach, and we all could not be prouder of the growth and accomplishments of these boys and girls. They have lost some teeth along the way, but what they have gained is far more impressive. They have worked hard and had fun learning. They learned to work together as a team and treat each other with respect. It’s hard to believe that on Sept. 7, they will be third-graders and enter JFK. It will be a new experience, but we know they are prepared and ready to go. They are all exceptional students with a bright future.”

Meanwhile, at JFK’s moving up ceremony on June 21, the school’s 278 fifth-graders proved they were ready to start their secondary education next autumn at Robert Frost.

“The staff at JFK provided our students with a solid curriculum background and strategies in third, fourth and fifth grades in order to send them up to the middle school with the tools necessary to do well and achieve,” said JFK Principal Susan Bonner.