Student government members with their “Go Green With Floyd” reusable tote bags.

The William Floyd High School Student Government has developed a fundraising campaign to align with the newly-enacted plastic bag law instituted by the Suffolk County Legislature, which requires consumers to pay five cents per plastic bag in an effort to reduce the use and impact of carryout bags throughout the county.

So to help address the new law, Student Government members along with their advisors Luciana LiCavoli-Dean and Julie Fortier, have created a “Go Green With Floyd” reusable tote bag, which will help shoppers reduce pollution while showing off their Floyd pride.

“We are excited to have a fundraiser that not only enables the Student Government to undertake the many activities throughout the school year that benefit all William Floyd High School students, but also one that supports environmental and county initiatives on a more global scale,” said Ms. LiCavoli-Dean and Ms. Fortier.

Tote bags cost $3 each and are available for purchase through any Student Government club member. Proceeds will go toward supporting Student Government activities.

The William Floyd High School varsity cheerleaders with Coach Alyssa Cabrera. (Photo by Vince D’Amore)

In just its first year competing as a sport in Suffolk County Section XI, William Floyd varsity cheerleading has reached the Suffolk County Championship, a competition among the 24 best programs who will square off against each other for a shot at the crown at West Islip High School on February 24. Led by head coach Alyssa Cabrera, the Colonials finished with a No. 8 ranking out of 17 teams in Division I.

Training started in July for the Colonials and they set their sights on a lofty goal – making it to the Suffolk Championship in year one.

“I am so proud of these girls!” said Coach Cabrera. “This is a great accomplishment for the team and an amazing beginning to the ‘up-and-coming’ competitive cheerleading program. We had many amazing, spot-on routines but we knew it was going to be tough facing teams that have been competing nationally for years,” added Coach Cabrera. “We held our own and did our best every competition.”

Among the highlights this season are a first-place finish in the Section XI Cheer Competition in December, several top-five finishes along the way and a second-place finish to conclude the season at Smithtown West.

Qualifying for the county championship is not the only achievement for the William Floyd cheerleaders this season as they took home second place in the “Team Up 4 Community” Long Island Holiday Sports Heroes Video Challenge for raising more than $1,500 for New York Cancer and Blood Specialists, a charity that is near and dear to the hearts of the student-athletes. For their efforts, they earned a $1,500 grant for the program.

Story by Thomas Reilly, Public Relations Intern
St. Joseph’s College

As throughout the rest of the state, Long Island has seen an increase in viral illnesses. We would like to share with you some practices that may help to decrease the incidence and severity of these outbreaks.

The flu season starts in autumn, and can last until May. Influenza (flu) and the common cold are both respiratory (breathing) infections caused by viruses. Some of the symptoms are similar and it can sometimes be difficult to tell if you have the flu or a very bad cold.

Most people who have the flu will experience a headache, dry cough, sore throat, chills, muscle aches, severe
tiredness, and fever up to 104°. Most people feel better in a couple of days, but the tiredness and cough can last for two weeks or longer. The flu is a respiratory (breathing) illness. You cannot have the “stomach flu”. Symptoms such as nausea, diarrhea and vomiting are uncommon with the flu, except in very young children.

Colds usually begin slowly and normally last only two to seven days. You will first notice a scratchy, sore throat, fol-lowed by sneezing and/or a runny nose. You may get a mild cough several days later. Adults and older children usual-ly don’t have a fever, but if they do, it will be mild. Infants and young children, however, sometimes run
temperatures up to 102°.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that every person older than six months receive the flu vaccine. To decrease the chances of getting any virus, however, children should be encouraged and reminded to wash their hands frequently and avoid touching the eyes, nose and mouth.

For your child’s well-being and for the protection of others please keep your child home when:

1. Vomiting has occurred within the past 24 hours
2. Diarrhea has occurred within the past 24 hours
3. Child’s temperature has been greater than 100° within the last 24 hours
4. There are symptoms of acute illness (such as persistent cough, sneezing or runny nose, body
aches)
5. There is a rash
6. Eyes are red, itchy, crusted, or painful
7. Child has had an earache for more than 24 hours

Thank you for your efforts in helping us decrease the incidence of viral outbreaks in our schools.

William Floyd Board of Education Trustees April Coppola, Robert Vecchio and Lorraine Mentz are pictured in front of the NYS Capitol Building, the seat of New York State government. (Click to enlarge)

Board of Education President Robert Vecchio along with fellow trustees April Coppola and Lorraine Mentz recently traveled to the state capital in Albany for the New York State School Boards Association (NYSSBA) Capital Conference, a yearly gathering for school board members who come together to discuss their legislative priorities and advocate elected officials on behalf of their districts. Such topics included state aid and high-needs districts such as William Floyd receiving its fair share, unfunded mandates and the importance of maintaining local control over districts by their duly elected school boards. President Vecchio and Trustees Coppola and Mentz had the opportunity to meet with members of the Long Island delegation in both the Senate and Assembly including Senator Tom Croci, Senator Phil Boyle, Assemblyman Dean Murray and Assemblyman Fred Thiele.

“We were proud to represent William Floyd at this statewide advocacy event,” said Mr. Vecchio. “It’s critically important that we continue the conversations with our state officials and advocate for all children in our community and even in New York State regardless of their zip code.”

Budget season is in full swing with the first Budget Advisory meeting taking place tonight, February 13 at 7:30 pm in the William Floyd High School library followed immediately by the regularly scheduled Board of Education meeting at 8 pm. Additional Budget Advisory meeting dates are: Tuesday, March 6, 2018, and Tuesday, March 20, 2018. The budget adoption will take place on Wednesday, April 18, 2018 at 7:15 pm; and the annual budget hearing is scheduled for Tuesday, May 8, 2018 at 7:15 pm. All meetings will take place in the William Floyd High School library.

William Floyd Elementary School recently hosted its fourth annual Reading Fair, a night of run and reading for the whole family in which students displayed their project boards for their favorite books and sometimes dressed as characters! Other activities included teacher read-alouds, games, crafts, an appearance by “Whill” the certified therapy dog and a special reading of Maurice Sendak’s “Where the Wild Things Are” by principal Dr. Keith Fasciana.

Additional photos below!

Moriches Elementary School called more than 150 families, selected at random, to share something positive about their child.

Among various activities celebrating the 100^th day of school, Moriches Elementary School made 100 positive phone calls to families sharing anecdotes such as how their children are positive role models, leaders, good citizens, hardworking and more. At least three families from each class were chosen randomly to receive a call from a Moriches Elementary employee including teachers, support staff, teaching assistants and administrators. In total, more than 150 families received phone calls.

“The response was overwhelmingly positive from the families as well as the staff,” said Deirdre Redding, Assistant Principal, Moriches Elementary School, who spearheaded the effort. “There were many tears of joy.”

Members of the Paca Wolves, the William Paca Middle School robotics team competed at the FIRST Lego League Robotics competition. (Photo courtesy FIRST Robotics)

The Paca Wolves Robotics team recently participated in the FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Lego League Hydro Dynamics challenge sponsored by the School-Business Partnerships of Long Island and had a great time demonstrating their knowledge, enthusiasm and genuine enjoyment of robotics.

“The students’ creative thinking, research abilities, and sense of community were demonstrated as they wowed the judges and their parents during the presentation of their project on cleaning the water supplied to and from homes in our area,” said Emmanuel Nigro, William Paca Middle School science teacher and club advisor. “Their knowledge, enthusiasm, and humor were noted by the judges. During the judging session for teamwork and sportsmanship, they showed how they came up with solutions as a team.”

Additionally, the Paca Wolves were able to work side-by-side with the Floydbots, William Floyd Elementary School’s robotics team, who helped them make modifications during the robot performance competition and cheered them on during the last competition of the day. The Paca Wolves then had the opportunity to pay it forward by assisting another team by lending their data transfer cable so they could reprogram their robot.

See below for additional photos!

Dear parents and community members:

As we all try to come to terms with the terrible and senseless tragedy that took place at a Florida high school yesterday, I wanted to remind/notify you of all that we are doing at William Floyd to keep our students and staff safe on a daily basis.

Our security team continues to remain vigilant patrolling the perimeters of our schools and staffing the guard booths. As is protocol, schools remain on lockout (locked from the inside), and all parents/visitors are required to check in with security, show identification and state the reason for their visit before entering our schools. All of our buildings also have a vestibule with an additional door that remains locked at all times to provide an extra layer of security. All schools in our district continue to hold mandatory lockdown drills to help our students and staff stay prepared in the event of an actual emergency. We are in contact with the Suffolk County Police Department on a regular basis and they have assured me that they will continue to provide the great support that we are accustomed to. We also have a Suffolk County Police Officer assigned to William Floyd as a School Resource Officer who is in our schools interacting with our students and staff. The district also inspects, and if necessary, updates its perimeter and emergency response plans on a regular basis, to ensure we are providing the highest level of safety at all times. We continue to be proactive and vigilant in all that we do.

I would also like to take a moment to remind you that if you see something that seems out of the ordinary, please say something. If you are a student, please let a parent, teacher, administrator or other trusted adult know immediately. If you are a parent or community member, please let us know and if you believe it’s an emergency, please call 911. The district also has a confidential hotline set up for anonymous tips, 631-874-1200.

My thoughts and prayers are with all of those affected by this senseless tragedy. Grief and crisis counselors continue to be available to our students should they have any questions regarding this tragedy.

Rest assured that the William Floyd School District will remain vigilant in keeping all of our students and staff safe.

With vigilance,

Kevin M. Coster
Superintendent of Schools

Nathaniel Woodhull Elementary School recently welcomed 24 local authors and illustrators for its annual Author-Illustrator Night, an opportunity for students and families to meet and interact with published authors and illustrators. Additionally, students had the opportunity to interact with two of those authors during the school day for special assemblies – Michael Dotsikas who visited with kindergarten-, first- and second-grade students; and Brian Heinz who visited with third-, fourth- and fifth-grade students, to discuss the writing process, answer questions and share about their works.

Click below to see some additional photos!

Please click the photo above to see some of the positive news stories featured about the William Floyd School District from January 19 through February 16, 2018. You can also view it by clicking here!

See previous monthly recaps below!

December 8, 2017 – January 18, 2018

November 10, 2017 – December 7, 2017

October 5, 2017 – November 9, 2017

September 1, 2017 – October 4, 2017

July 2, 2017 – August 31, 2017

May 5, 2017 – June 26, 2017

March 14 – May 4, 2017

January 3 – February 13, 2017

November 20 – December 22, 2016

October 20 – November 17, 2016

September 16 – October 17, 2016

August 11 – September 15, 2016

July 1 – August 10, 2016

William Floyd Music Department faculty perform at the 33rd annual Music Faculty Scholarship Concert.

To kick off “Music In Our Schools” festivities for the month of March, the William Floyd Music Department is holding the 34th Annual Music Faculty Scholarship Concert at William Floyd Middle School on, Friday, March 2 at 7 pm.

The Music Faculty Concert is the primary event of the school year to raise money for graduating seniors who have declared as music majors in college. Through this event and others, the music department raises several thousand dollars each year to provide student scholarships.

Tickets are on sale at each elementary, middle school and high school for $5 each. Students should see their music teacher to purchase tickets. A select amount of tickets will be sold at the door. Students are encouraged to check with their music teacher the day of the show for availability. Doors open at 6:30 pm.

There will also be prizes available including a brand new guitar! For more information, please contact George Ober, Chairperson, Music Department, at gober@wfsd.k12.ny.us. So please come on down and help support the next generation of music educators. We hope to see you there!

Please enjoy this clip below from last year’s concert!

The Floyd Academy recently hosted a celebration to honor its 10 January graduates who have received their high school diplomas and will have the opportunity to walk with fellow graduates at the June ceremony. Students gathered with family members, teachers, members of the Board of Education and district administration for the luncheon, which was catered by the Floyd Academy faculty and staff.

“Graduation from high school is a milestone that deserves to be celebrated,” said John DeBenedetto, Principal, Floyd Academy. “Our students have learned that with determination and support anything is possible; I know that they will carry that momentum and success into the next chapter in their lives.”

Congratulations to the following graduates: Courtney Asanto, Antonio Boscia, Sabrina Coombs, Pedro Danielsen, Danesha Giles, Megan Healy, Alina Riccio, Nicholas Scalera III, Rhiannon Spence and Michelle Stewart.

The Floyd Academy is an alternative education program to help students succeed in a non-traditional school setting. Established in September 2016, the Floyd Academy serves approximately 75 students in grades 10 through 12, and provides a safe and nurturing environment that provides students with the opportunity to develop positive and trusting relationships. It is not punitive, students who have a desire to be successful and have faced challenges in their school and/or personal lives can apply.

Click below to see additional photos!

Tatianna Kistner passes the baton to Antoinette Miller in the 4 x 200-meter relay.

The Girls Winter Track State Qualifier Meet held at Suffolk County Community College on Monday, February 12, showcased why the William Floyd Colonials girls varsity winter track team is currently second-ranked public high school girls winter track team in New York State. The team had their best showing in school history at the state qualifiers, setting both school and Section XI records. As a result, the Colonials will compete in three events at the New York State Championships on March 3 at the Ocean Breeze Athletic Complex in Staten Island.

Kaylah Britt excels in the triple jump.

The events
Kaylah Britt earned All-County accolades in the triple jump and her performance at the state qualifier showcased her skills as she jumped 38′ 4″, the best on Long Island. She is currently ranked fourth in the state in the triple jump and will look to improve on her score and take the top spot next month in the state meet.

Antoinette Miller, also an All-County student-athlete in the high jump and 55-meter dash, will compete in the state meet in the high jump. Her jump of 5′ 3″ currently has her ranked fourth on Long Island headed into the state meet.

The third event the girls track team will be competing in is the 4 x 200 meter relay. The relay team of Kianna Hawkins, Jade Foster, Tatianna Kistner and Antoinette Miller closed out their state qualifier meet with a time of 1:44:94, a new Section XI record. The relay team earned All-County honors and earned the title of overall county champions.

“I am extremely proud of the progress these girls have made thus far this season,” said head coach John Ryan. “Qualifying for the state meet is a tremendous accomplishment. The goal of every serious indoor track athlete is to qualify for this meet. We have spoken extensively this year about making sacrifices and doing what it takes in order to be successful.  The girls know, as well as the coaching staff, that our work this season is not complete. We will not be satisfied unless our ultimate goal of a podium finish at the state meet is realized.”

This season has not only been a major success for both coach Ryan and the girls who will represent William Floyd in the state meet, but also for the William Floyd track program overall moving forward.

Pictured left to right: Jade Foster, Tatianna Kistner, Kaylah Britt and Antoinette Miller.

“This season has been a huge step in the right direction for the girls track program here at William Floyd,” said Coach Ryan, referencing what this season’s performance means to the girls track program overall. “Assistant coaches Gil DeCicco and Kristine Dunscombe have helped create an environment that holds our athletes to a higher standard. Our older girls have been fantastic role models for our younger student-athletes both on and off the track; our younger girls have improved tremendously. The future looks very bright.

Additionally, the Colonials put forth a dominant performance at the Long Island Elite Meet this past weekend at St. Anthony’s High School. Freshman Tatianna Kistner reached the finals in the 55-meter dash running a season best of 7.34 seconds. Kaylah Britt won the triple jump, once again proving that she is the best triple jumper on Long Island.  Antoinette Miller tied for the best high jump of the night – 5’ 4” matching a 26-year old school record and qualifying her for the New Balance Nationals Meet in March.  The 4 x 200 meter relay team of Kianna Hawkins, Jade Foster, Tatianna Kistner and Antoinette Miller were crowned Elite Meet champions edging out a very talented Uniondale team.

Story by Thomas Reilly, Public Relations Intern
St. Joseph’s College

The William Floyd High School Counseling Center recently held its third On-Site College Admissions Day of the school year to provide students with the opportunity to have one-to-one conversations and meetings with admissions counselors from many local colleges and universities. Counselors were on hand to discuss students’ specific plans, each college’s offerings, as well as to evaluate the students’ transcripts and applications. At this event, 177 students were seen by representatives from 14 colleges, universities and trade schools, and 137 were accepted on the spot with the remaining pending for further consideration.

Earlier in the school year, the Counseling Center organized two specific admissions days with Suffolk County Community College admissions representatives with approximately 180 students gaining acceptance on the spot. So far this year, the Counseling Center has facilitated meetings between students and colleges for nearly 60 percent of the graduating class of 2018.

Colleges, universities and trade schools in attendance this year were: Suffolk County Community College, Farmingdale State University, Mount Saint Mary, BOCES, Hunter Business School, SUNY Albany, St. Joseph’s College, NYIT, LIU Post, SUNY Old Westbury, SUNY Delhi, Molloy, Five Towns and SUNY Fredonia.

Additionally, four of the private colleges – LIU Post, Mount Saint Mary, NYIT and St. Joseph’s College – confirmed the awarding of nearly $305,000 in scholarships to deserving students should they choose to attend those institutions.

This On-Site College Admissions Day was held during National School Counseling Week, held during the first week of February, designated to recognize and highlight the tremendous impact that school counselors have in helping students achieve success in school and plan for a future career.

Yearbooks are on sale, and supplies are limited! Orders must be submitted by April 30, 2018, in order to guarantee a book. Students who have not ordered a yearbook yet, please bring cash, check or money order made out to William Floyd High School Yearbook to Room 136 (Mrs. Janowicz) or Room 257 (Dr. Incantalupo) as soon as possible.  Yearbooks may also be ordered online at this link. Don’t miss out on the memories!  Order your yearbook today!

William Floyd Middle School teacher Debora-Ann Tomko is pictured with her All-County Jazz vocalists Kevin Ohlsen, Madison Grimm, Jonathan Torres and Emily DeMartino.

William Paca Middle School teacher Michelle Seifert is pictured with All-County Jazz vocalist Robert Maher.

Thirty-one William Floyd student-musicians were recently selected to represent their school and district in the SCMEA (Suffolk County Music Educators Association) various jazz performances including 26 William Floyd High School students participating in the All-County Jazz Ensemble and five middle school students garnering selection to participate in the upcoming All-County Vocal Jazz Festival.

Congratulations to the following students and their teachers:

WFHS All-County Jazz Ensemble (teacher Michael Cordaro): Christian Amaya, Anthony Auciello, Sophia Chinea, Ryan Collins, Phillip Da Gama, Ryan DiGiacomo, Sadat Gresham, Sarah Gross, Robert Henn, Anthony Hristidis, Gabrielle Jones, Michelle Lara, Benjamin Link, Amanda Logan, Daniel Lombardo, Kaylee Monahan, Zachary Neikens, Christian Nordstrom, Brianna Novotny, Asa Ostrowski, Rishi Patel, Anthony Schiano, Alex Siegel, Katie Sottung, Justin Wheeler and Lindsey Wibrew.

William Floyd Middle School All-County Jazz Vocal (teacher Debora-Ann Tomko): Emily DeMartino, Madison Grimm, Kevin Ohlsen and Jonathan Torres.

William Paca Middle School All-County Jazz Vocal (teacher Michelle Seifert): Robert Maher.

Fourth-grade students at Moriches Elementary School recently received a visit from “Sully,” a 15-month old guide dog-in-training, who along with her handler and puppy-raiser, Ruthann Collins, and Guide Dog Foundation Ambassador Carol Rudman, demonstrated some of the Foundation’s training techniques and provided information about the Foundation and its work for the blind and visually impaired. At the conclusion of the assembly, students and staff presented the Guide Dog Foundation with a generous donation of items such as blankets, towels, sanitary wipes and more. This special assembly was organized by fourth-grade teacher Nicolle Ranieri and attended by students in Alison Conklin’s, Susan Gleason’s, Kate Johnson’s, Sharon McCue’s, Leah Olivo’s and Thomas Short’s classes.

Nicolle Ranieri presents the Guide Dog Foundation with donations collected and donated by Moriches Elementary School fourth-grade students and their families.

The Guide Dog Foundation, located in Smithtown, NY, has been training guide dogs for more than 70 years including sophisticated techniques such as “intelligent disobedience,” which teaches dogs to protect their owner from any danger even if it means disobeying their master’s command. While in training, the dogs learn many different lessons such as proper house manners, and how to socialize. They also learn up to 80 different commands, and must master at least 72 of them to become guide dogs. According to Ms. Collins, only about 50 percent of dogs who are trained actually end up becoming guide dogs as others end up with career changes such as being used for emotional support, drug sniffing, diabetic alert and other highly-trained service animals.

Story by Thomas Reilly, Public Relations Intern
St. Joseph’s College

The William Floyd Colonials girls winter track 4×200 meter relay team celebrate their NYS Championship atop the podium.

Antoinette Miller crosses the finish line to earn the gold! (Courtesy NY Mile Split)

The William Floyd Colonials girls winter track team added to their hardware this weekend with a standout performance at the New York State Indoor Track and Field Championships held at the Ocean Breeze Athletic Complex in Staten Island. Leading the way for the Colonials were the 4×200 meter relay team of Kianna Hawkins, Jade Foster, Tatianna Kistner and Antoinette Miller who set the all-time New York State meet team record of 1:41:49, which is also the fastest time ever for a Suffolk County team. This victory resulted in the team earning the crown of New York State Federation Champions, as well as New York State Public High School Champions.

Triple jumper Kaylah Britt also put forth a tremendous performance jumping 37’ 9¾” to clinch third-place overall in the state. Kaylah finished the indoor track season ranked No. 1 in Suffolk County, No. 1 on Long Island and No. 3 in New York State, earning her All-County, All-Long Island and All-New York State honors in the process.

New York State champs!

“Their performances on the track this season have been nothing short of extraordinary,” said head coach John Ryan, who along with assistant coaches Gil DeCicco and Kristine Dunscombe continue to do a fantastic job with these talented student-athletes. “Even more impressive than their athleticism has been their conduct. They have represented William Floyd High School and our community in a way that would make us all proud. Their sportsmanship and humility are to be commended.”

Next up for the Colonials is the New Balance Nationals Championship Meet this upcoming weekend at the New Balance Armory Track and Field Center in New York City where they will look to add All-American honors to their impressive résumés.

For future girls track athletes: Jade Foster attended William Floyd Elementary School and William Floyd Middle School; Tatianna Kistner attended Tangier Smith Elementary School and William Paca Middle School; Kianna Hawkins attended John S. Hobart Elementary School and William Paca Middle School;  Antoinette Miller and Kaylah Britt began attending William Floyd schools in high school.

Watch the winning race below!

Luz Diaz-Pichardo is pictured with Fine Arts chairperson Theresa Bianco (left) and her art teachers Stephanie Taisler and Timothy Kosta.

Luz Diaz-Pichardo is pictured with her WFMS art teachers Mr. Kosta and Ms. Taisler.

Luz Diaz-Pichardo, a seventh-grade student at William Floyd Middle School, has been selected as the student artist of the month for February. Luz is a student in Stephanie Taisler’s and Timothy Kosta’s art classes and excels in various mediums.

A soft-spoken student who emigrated from the Dominican Republic when she was five years old, Luz’s artwork is inspired by her dreams. “Art is not what you see, but what you make others see,” she said.

“I believe Luz’s artwork speaks a message to the world,” said Ms. Taisler. “She has a true artistic gift and I am honored to foster her visual talents.”

Luz’s work will be submitted to the New York State Art Teachers Association (NYSATA) Portfolio Day this spring.

Students in Mrs. Antenucci’s third-grade class at John S. Hobart Elementary School participated in a living wax museum.

Students in Brianne Antenucci’s third-grade class at John S. Hobart Elementary School recently had the unique opportunity to don the costumes of their favorite contemporary or historical figures in a living wax museum. Students researched, wrote biographies and created posters of a famous person who has impacted the culture or influenced our nation’s history in some way. Then each student had the opportunity to “assume” the identity of that figure and tell his or her life story in first person.

Modern and historical figures chosen by students ranged from astronauts, civil rights leaders, fictional characters, politicians, scientists and more including Neil Armstrong, Rosa Parks, Ruby Bridges, John Glenn, Henry Hudson, Helen Keller, Isaac Newton, Johnny Appleseed, Alexander Hamilton, Muhammad Ali; as well as more contemporary figures such as Malala Yousafzai, Nancy Kerrigan, Hillary Clinton, Michael Jackson, Judy Blume, Lebron James, Kate Middleton, David Beckham, Odell Beckahm, Arianna Grande and James Harden.

“This was a great way to showcase what the students have been learning in social studies, reading and writing while having a lot of fun!” said Mrs. Antenucci.​