The Business of Books

Critically acclaimed local author Brian Heinz visited John F. Kennedy Intermediate School to conduct writing workshops for students. His passions for nature, science and environmental research inspire the themes and unique characters that comprise his popular children's books and award-winning tales.

Mr. Heinz conducted his signature program, “The Book: From Writer to Reader,” with the use of a 'road map' style mural board and visual aids. Through this special lesson, students learned how a book becomes a reality, from raw idea to finished product, and the many steps and people involved in the process.

Students had the opportunity to view manuscripts, book “dummies,” sketches and final art, layouts and paste-ups, negatives, press proofs, blue lines, page signatures and unbound covers of his personal works, including Red Fox at McCloskey's Farm, The Alley Cat and Nanuk: Lord of the Ice.

Throughout the lesson, Mr. Heinz shared writing tips and humorous anecdotes of his "on location" research trips to wild environments.

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The Art of Foreign Language

Spanish language students from the High School participated in this year’s Spanish Poetry Contest at Hofstra University, a competition in which they displayed and shared their works with students from across Long Island.

The Sigma Delta Pi Spanish Poetry Contest has provided high school students with a forum to culturally expand their minds and gain recognition for their achievements in Spanish for the past forty years. Inspired by their Spanish curriculum, students crafted poetry that included cultural, historical and geographic literary elements.

Deer Park student Liza Chowdury’s standout writing took second place in the original poetry category, along with the submissions of students Henry Aguinada, Hashim Gray, Jonathan Hurtado-Salinas, Stephanie Lopez, Ismaldo Matias, Ada Ramirez and Nicholas Ruiz.

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Shakespeare on Stage

The district recently hosted its first Long Island Student Shakespeare Festival. Students from schools throughout Nassau and Suffolk Counties assembled in Deer Park to perform scenes from Shakespearean plays, explore the world of Elizabethan England, and participate in creative activities.

The event was inspired by festivals promoted by the Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington, DC. Deer Park Director of Fine and Performing Arts Dr. Jeff S. Dailey developed this unique educational program which featured musical performances and interschool activities. Student groups prepared for the event by rehearsing scenes from Shakespeare’s works before taking the stage to perform for other students.

Festival adjudicator André De Shields provided feedback for the young thespians. Mr. De Shields originated the title role of The Wiz on Broadway and has also appeared in the Broadway productions of Ain’t Misbehavin’, The Full Monty, Stardust and Impressionism, among others. He recently returned from the Goodman Theatre in Chicago, where he performed in Tennessee Williams’ Camino Real.  

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A Partnership of Reading

To promote literacy across the district, John F. Kennedy Intermediate School special needs students visited Abraham Lincoln pre-kindergarten students for a reading buddies program. Students paired up and selected their favorite book titles, which JFK students read aloud to their eager partners. The morning provided an opportunity to apply and develop critical social skill sets and created an interschool educational experience for the district’s youngest learners.

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Post-Season Honors for Winter Athletics

Following a successful season on the field and in the classroom, six Deer Park varsity winter teams have earned New York State Scholar-Athlete status. In order to receive this designation, the teams achieved and maintained a cumulative grade point average of 90 or better throughout the entire season. In addition, the Varsity Bowling and Varsity Boys Swimming/Diving teams received the Sportsmanship Award for their respective leagues. These teams were selected for this award based on the recommendations of officials and opposing teams for their fair play and good sportsmanship on the field of competition. Individual student-athletes were also named State Qualifiers, Academic All-County, All-League, All-Conference, All-County, Class AA All-Tournament Team and All-Rookie Team.

Winter teams also advanced in playoff tournaments, where the Varsity Boys Basketball team became League IV Co-Champions and competed in the Class AA Semifinals. The team was led by Head Coach John McCaffrey and supported by Junior Varsity Coach Ron Langella, who were named Co-Varsity and Co-JV Coaches of the Year, respectively. Female athletes also had exceptional performances, with the Varsity Girls Basketball team advancing to the quarterfinals of the Class AA playoffs, while Varsity Kickline finished first in pom and kick and third in lyrical at the LIKA Championships.

ATHLETIC AWARDS-WINTER 2011-12

This team was Co-Champions of League IV and advanced to the “Class AA” Semi-Finals.  Coach McCaffrey and Coach Langella were named Co-Varsity and Co-JV Coaches of the Year respectively.  

Lenny Bates - Academic All-County
Aaren Edmead  - 1st Team All-League
Keith Williams - 1st Team All-League, Class AA All Tournament Team
Rome Jenkins - 1st Team All-League, All-Conference
Kyle Bradford - 1st Team All-League, All-Conference, All-County
Sean Scott - 1st Team All-League, All-Conference, All-County


This team advanced to the Quarter-Finals of the Class “AA” playoffs and was recognized by New York State as a Scholar Athlete Team.

Gianna Locker - All-Rookie Team, Scholar Athlete
Kelsey Dillon - All-League, Academic All-County, Scholar Athlete
Nicole Gomez - All-League, Scholar Athlete
Andrea Desvignes - All-League, All-County, Scholar Athlete

Additional Scholar Athlete Members
Kristina Anantua-Brown       
Kristen Fischer       
Jordan Lazarich


David Hamil - All-League
Robert Madgum - All-League
Frank Matos - All-League
Cory Muroff - All-League
Valter Piccini -  All-League
Kenny Sciabarassi - All-League
Mike Schutt -  All-League
Zach Lugo -  All-League, All-County



This team was recognized by New York State as a Scholar Athlete Team.

Scholar Athlete Members
Henry Aguinada
Adam Ahmed       
Jerome Berdecia-Alvarado
Anthony Bolson       
Vincent Cotrone   
Joshua DeLeon
Sean Dudley           
Rick Guerra       
Jihad Hameed
Wai-Ga Ho           
Abul Karimi       
Daniel Keller
Brandon Lynch       
Kiani Marcellus   
Ismaldo Matias
Shahan Mian           
Tam Nguyen       
John Pfundstein
Thomas Sandoval       
Andrew Schaefer   
Manan Singh
Tyler Teng



This team was recognized by New York State as a Scholar Athlete Team.

Scholar Athlete Members
Ashley Brennan       
Gina DePietto           
Caitlin Drake
Jessica Gormandy       
Isis Hodge           
Amanda Khare
Sandra Popa           
Britney Ramnauth       
Nora Seem
Melissa Spindler       
Nicole Spoelstra       
Victoria Trovato
Ginger Valle           
Tyrane Williamson       
Daniela Zabbatino



This team received the Sportsmanship Award for their league.

Adam Zimmerman - All-League, Sportsmanship

Additional Sportsmanship Members
James Brennan       
Jennifer Depre           
Steven Dorney
Brianna Fatone      
Timothy Getchius       
Krystle Kozakevitch
Matthew Montanez       
Zeth Rand           
William Rathje




This team was recognized by New York State as a Scholar Athlete Team and received the Sportsmanship Award for their league.

Brandon Peskett - All-League, Scholar Athlete, Sportsmanship
Bryan Rennhack - All-League, Sportsmanship
John Pawelko  - All-League, All-County, State Qualifier, Scholar Athlete, Sportsmanship, School Record in the 500 Freestyle  

Additional Scholar Athlete and Sportsmanship Members
Samir Bacchus           
Trevor Bernard       
Matthew Caldwell
Max Christianson       
Kyle Doogan           
Justin Gallo
Robert Hunt           
David Izsak           
Matthew Leichert
Matteo Mule           
Ian Murray           
Anthony Porras
Andreas stamatakis       
Kevin Tresselt           
Sergio Valoy
Eric Wolff           
Kendrick Wong       
Kevin Xie

Additional Sportsmanship Members
Cristian Aguilar-Recinos   
K.C. Carter           
Marcus Diaz           
Daniel Gerardi           
Joshua Larcom           
Emmanuel Leger          
Kenneth Leger           
Scott Lovinger           
Sebastian Martinez            
Sergio Martinez       
James Murtha           
Reise Rand
            




This team was recognized by New York State as a Scholar Athlete Team.

Scholar Athlete Members
Chinella Charlton       
Karissa Fitzpatrick       
Concetta Gioeli
Danielle Guida           
Victoria Herbst       
Jessica Lugo
Julia Matera           
Micaela Morella       
Megan Murgittroyd
Nicole-Ann Pagan       
Marissa Ramage       
Kedeisha Rose
Keri Sickenberger       
Nia Thomas



This team finished in 1st place in pom, 1st place in kick and 3rd place in lyrical at the LIKA Championships.  They were also recognized by New York State as a Scholar Athlete Team.

Scholar Athlete Members
Danielle Calcagno       
Nicole Cito           
Toni Ann Cox
Amy Dinoff           
Kelsey Heyne           
Arianna Leo
Gabrielle Miceli       
Emily Panzenbeck       
Nicole Pirro
Taylor Thomas           
Sophie Watkins       
Kimberly Zelaya

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Music in Our Schools Month

To celebrate Music in Our Schools Month, the students of the high school enjoyed a performance and workshop from Sergeant First Class (SFC) John Altman, who plays the trumpet in the U.S. Army Field Band. SFC Altman held a master class for the school’s trumpet players, who had the opportunity to thank him for his service. The Deer Park High School Jazz Band also had the distinct honor of having SFC Altman join their ensemble during an evening rehearsal. The day was a musical treat for students as they listened to the lead trumpeter play music by composers Haydn and Arutunian and had the opportunity to meet and perform with a member of the prestigious U.S. Army Field Band.    

Before joining the U.S. Army Field Band, SFC Altman received his B.A. at the Centre College of Kentucky and his master’s in jazz pedagogy and performance at Northern Illinois University. In addition to performing lead trumpet with the Chicago Metropolitan Jazz Orchestra, he has also been a member of the Florida Chamber Orchestra, Rockford Symphony Orchestra and Washington Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra.

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Green Learning

The students at John Quincy Adams Elementary School sprung into spring with green lessons. During the school’s Agricultural Literacy Week, students learned the importance of preserving the environment as well as the scientific process that occurs when seeds grow into plants.

As part of the program, Robert Frost Middle School and Deer Park High School Family and Consumer Science students visited the elementary school to mentor students through the reading and writing activity “What Plant Am I?” Students learned about a variety of seed types and how seeds transform into beautiful plants. They were surprised to learn the unique ways that seeds mature, discovering that each seed has one tiny living plant embryo resting inside.

The upperclassmen guided students through their projects, educating them on the changes both inside and outside of a germinating plant, and helped students prepare their seeds for planting. All of the elementary students went home with seeds of their own so they can plant trees and share their knowledge with their families.

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Musical Science

Music students at the High School and Robert Frost Middle School recently participated in an interesting musician-in-residence program that left them in awe. Musician Rob Schwimmer performed on a Theremin, a small, box-shaped electronic musical instrument controlled without discernible physical contact from the player.

Mr. Schwimmer taught students how to manipulate melodies using this unique musical instrument. They watched and listened as the musician methodically moved his hands between the two metal antennae without making physical contact with the instrument. As Mr. Schwimmer played, he explained that he creates music using the antennae; one determines the frequency, while the other controls the amplitude. Students were interested in learning the science behind the Theremin and took turns playing on the instrument themselves, experimenting with sounds.

Theremins are also used in concert music (especially avant-garde and 20th- and 21st-century new music) and in popular music genres, including rock.

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Celebrating Hispanic Heritage

The district culminated National Language and Culture Month with a Hispanic Heritage Festival. Robert Frost Middle School Spanish language and English as a Second Language (ESL) students organized the vibrant event, which featured a performance by professional flamenco dancer Sol y Sombra. Students sampled Latin cuisine and celebrated the people, landmarks and history of the diverse Spanish-speaking countries around the world.

In addition, the International Culture Club held its annual International Night, which was attended by hundreds of students and community members. Attendees enjoyed live music, demonstrations of martial arts and traditional dances from Peru, the Dominican Republic and Argentina. Students also performed international songs.

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Students Get a Lesson in Baking for a Good Cause

Students at Robert Frost Middle School had the opportunity to help the less fortunate, while learning important core educational concepts during a baking presentation.
 
King Arthur Flour Life Skills Bread Baking Program instructor Gina Ciancia was on hand to show approximately 160 seventh-grade students how to make two loaves of bread – one of which the students could keep and the other to be donated to a local soup kitchen. Math and science theories were incorporated into the baking demonstration. Students Javairia Nadeem and Gulsum Camlira assisted Ciancia throughout the demonstration, from measuring the ingredients and kneading the bread to displaying the final products for other students to see. Ms. Ciancia explained how to make French and braided bread, cinnamon rolls, and pizza dough.
 
“Students learn lessons in science and math,” said Director of Family and Consumer Sciences Celeste Archer of the baking program. “They also get to see how they can give back to the community by providing bread for those in need.”
 
Each of the students took the ingredients home to bake both loaves, bringing one back for donation. This community service endeavor was provided to the school for free, courtesy of King Arthur Flour. The donated loaves of bread will be given to Presbyterian Soup Kitchen and Ascension Lutheran Church in Deer Park.
 
“We feel it is important because students learn all of the academic skills behind it – they learn the math and the science, then they learn the food safety, time management, and the organization,” Ms. Ciancia added. “They also get the community service piece. It really is a holistic kind of approach to education, and they take a lot out of it.”

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Mental & Physical Strength of JQA Kid Power

The students at John Quincy Adams Elementary School participated in an interactive Kid Power assembly that educated them on the value of good nutrition and exercise.

The musical show, entitled “Operation Lunch Line,” took students on a 3-D journey of exploration into the human body, using a boy named Max who does not eat or exercise properly. Students actively participated in the lessons as they worked together to motivate Max, giving him helpful tips on how to make himself a healthier person.

The program identified the daily steps students should take to fully develop their knowledge and skills about good health and the necessary behaviors to accomplish a productive day. They also learned the importance of balancing nutritious foods and physical activities.

Students Catch a Good Book at JQA

Each year, the John Quincy Adams Elementary School participates in the Parents as Reading Partners (PARP) program. PARP is a literacy-based initiative that expands students’ reading skills and provides an opportunity for students and parents to spend educational time together.

This year’s theme, “Catch a Good Book,” encourages students to read literature that appeals to their interests. Buddy Reading Days worked to pair students with their peers in other grades and classes and allowed them to share their favorite books with each other and learn something new from their reading buddies. During this activity, students also took part in “Wear a Hat to Read Day,” where they were asked to choose a hat that coincided with their book of choice.

As part of the Buddy Reading Day, teaching assistant and resident author Darrel Clark visited classrooms to discuss his book The Happy Frog with students. He shared his experiences as an author as well as the steps taken to complete the writing and publishing process.

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