The Tri Hamlet Sports Club Inc. is a local sports organization located in the heart of Mastic Beach, NY, founded in 2013, with approximately 170 members in its programs last year. Tri Hamlet Sports Club has been created to offer the youth of the Tri-Hamlet community the opportunity to play baseball in an environment that provides a fun and safe place to play, while learning the game of baseball. The organization has sponsored many children in the program. In the past six years, the club has had continuous growth of members. The club currently has a nine-member board.

When Tri Hamlet Sports Club was first founded, it played its games at William Floyd Elementary School.

Grateful for having a place to play, the club decided to raise funds for a new Woodrow R. Hawkins Memorial Field sign and present it to the school. The club has since built team benches for several fields in the district.

The following year, Tri Hamlet Sports Club was granted a permit to play its games at the Robert E. Miller fields located on Washington Avenue in Mastic Beach.

Since then, the club has worked with Brookhaven Town Councilman Dan Panico and Brookhaven’s parks commissioner Ed Morris to create a majestic place to play.

They took what once was a pocket park sandlot and turned it into one of the nicest parks in the Town of Brookhaven. The facilities currently have three baseball fields, one of which has lights, and a snack shack, which is open during the games. The funds raised at the snack shack helped field development at the park and to lower the cost of registration. This past summer, the club was able to charge just $35 per returning player. They also now have a storage shed to house field maintenance equipment and a garage. They have installed security cameras around the park as well as lights to help ensure the safety of the children that visit the park daily to play.

Joe Smith Jr. (Harry How/Getty Images)

Joe Smith Jr. graduated from William Floyd High School in 2007. He began boxing at age 13, going to local gyms after school to work on his craft, with the goal of one day becoming a world champion.

Joe Smith Jr. (Class of 2007)

Smith balanced his school work with his boxing, helping him build up a very respectable amateur career. He competed in numerous amateur tournaments as a teenager, becoming a three-time Junior Olympic Champion in 2004, 2005 and 2006. He competed in and won the Empire State Games in 2006, 2007 and 2008 as well as the New York Metro Boxing Championship in 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009. The most significant moment of his amateur career came when he became a New York Golden Gloves Champion in 2008, just a few weeks after the birth of his daughter.

Smith made his professional boxing debut on October 31, 2009, winning via technical knockout. He would continue to climb the ranks of the light heavyweight division, winning his first 21 of 22 fights.

Smith made his national television debut on June 18, 2016 on NBC in the main event against top-ranked light heavyweight Andrzej Fonfara in Chicago. He went into the fight as a massive underdog, with no boxing writer or fan giving him any real shot of winning. He would silence his critics immediately as he defeated Fonfara via first-round technical knockout. The victory won Smith the WBC International Light Heavyweight Championship, as well as catapulted him toward the top of the division.

Six months later, Smith was challenged by future Hall-of-Famer Bernard Hopkins to be the opponent in his farewell fight on December 17, 2016 on HBO. Smith accepted the challenge and spoiled Hopkins’ farewell fight by sending him through the ropes and into retirement, winning via technical knockout.

Smith is scheduled to fight fellow light heavyweight Artur Beterbiev in late February for the IBF Light Heavyweight World Championship.

Joe Passaro (Class of 1978)

Joe Passaro had an outstanding career as a student-athlete at William Floyd High School. He was a true scholar-athlete with an 89 overall average earning him the New York State Gold Key Award, Suffolk Zone Award and 1978 Outstanding Male Athlete of the Year Award for William Floyd.

In baseball, Joe was a three-year starter with 85 consecutive varsity starts. He was named All-League twice and tied the school record as a sophomore for triples with five in one season. In his sophomore year, Joe started on the 1976 baseball team that finished the year with the best overall regular season record on Long Island and entered the playoffs as the #1 seed in Section XI. He was referred to by a local newspaper that year as the “Pete Rose” of the team for his tenacious play and ability. Joe led the team in batting his junior and senior seasons, played on two league

championship teams and was captain of the 1978 league championship team. After graduation, Joe played Division I baseball at Hofstra University in 1979 and was the only freshman to start on the team that year.

In football, Joe was a three-year starter as a wide receiver and safety. Arguably one of the best wide receivers to ever play at William Floyd up to that point, he was named All-League twice and led the team in receptions, touchdowns and interceptions his junior and senior years.  Joe earned the “Honorable Mention High School All-American” award for 1977-78 presented by Coach and Athlete magazine.  He holds the school record for consecutive games with a touchdown reception (10). During his senior season, on three occasions, he caught a long touchdown pass to win or tie games with only seconds remaining helping to earn the 1978 team the nickname “4th Quarter Floyd” by Newsday.

On the basketball court, Joe played two years of varsity basketball and earned a total of 8 varsity letters in his career.

Ginine (Lucarello) Duda, Class of 2002.

Ginine (Lucarello) Duda graduated from William Floyd High School in 2002, and was a member of the varsity cross country and track and field teams from seventh through 12th grade. She qualified for the New York State Cross Country Championships in 1998, 1999 and 2001 and won the Suffolk County “A” Cross Country Championships in 1999, becoming the first runner in William Floyd history to do so.

Ginine was selected to the 1999 League I All-Star Cross Country Team and broke the 10th grade three-mile record of 19:20 set in 1984 with a time of 18:59. She also broke the 5K 10th grade record of 20:07 with a time of 19:36. She holds the record in both the 1500m with a time of 4:54 and as a member of the 4x800m relay team.

Ginine graduated in the top 10 of her class. She was named a Rotary “Student of the Month” and was a state finalist for the Heisman Award in 2002. She was also named “Outstanding Female Athlete” for William Floyd in 2002.

Ginine received a full scholarship (athletic and academic) to Manhattan College for cross country and track and field. She graduated from Manhattan College with a degree in students with disabilities and childhood education. She graduated summa cum laude with a 3.9 GPA.

Steve Murphy, Class of 2009.

Steve Murphy played every day with the tenacity of a pit bull. Coach Paul Longo once said, “Steve not only works hard every day, but expects everyone to perform at their best every day.” Coach Megna described Steve as “a ferocious leader whose motor knows no bounds!” There have been very few athletes who have excelled to the level Steve Murphy has in two sports.

In football, during his junior year, Steve played tight end for the undefeated Long Island champion Colonials. He earned All-County and All Long-Island (Second Team) as a tight end. Steve took over as captain and quarterback during his senior year and amassed 25 total touchdowns (13 passing/12 rushing) and 2,187 total yards (1,137 passing and 1,050 rushing). During his spectacular senior season, he earned numerous accolades including the Boomer Esiason Award as the best quarterback in Suffolk County, All-State (First Team), All-Long Island (First Team) and All-County.

In lacrosse, Steve was a four-year starter who earned All-Division honors as a freshman, was a three-time All-County performer and earned All-Long Island (First Team) during his junior and senior years. He was ranked as the No. 26 recruit by Inside Lacrosse magazine and accepted a scholarship to play for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. During his senior year, Steve was named the “X Factor Player of the Year” by Inside Lacrosse, earned a selection to the Under Armour All-American Team and was a gold medalist in the Empire State Games and won the Dellecave Award as the 2009 “Exceptional Scholar Athlete.”

As a member of the nationally-ranked Fighting Irish lacrosse team, Steve started four years and was twice named to the Big East All-Academic Team.

Courtney Murphy, Class of 2013

No one could ever tell Courtney “you can’t.” With a work ethic that was second-to-none, Courtney was a four-year varsity player for the Colonials. She was captain of the lacrosse team three times and over the course of her tenure at William Floyd, amassed 252 goals and 55 assists. In short, she was a one-woman wrecking crew.

As a Colonial lacrosse player, Courtney earned All-County accolades three times and All-Long Island twice; she was also selected twice to the Under Armour All-American team and was named an Academic All-American by Inside Lacrosse magazine. Courtney also excelled in basketball (All-County) and field hockey (All-League).

Courtney accepted a scholarship to attend Stony Brook University, which turned out to be a great move as she helped the Seawolves dominate the America East Conference throughout her tenure culminating with a No. 1 ranking during her senior year and a trip back to the NCAA tournament. The Seawolves lost a heartbreaker to the eventual national championship team Maryland 13-12. Courtney also set the NCAA Division I career goals record with 341, as well as the single-season goals record (100). She is also only the third player ever to amass 400 career points. Other college accolades include: two time All-American, Lacrosse Magazine Attack Player of the Year, America East Conference Offensive Player of the Year, Most Outstanding Player in the America East Conference Championship, All-ECAC (First Team), IWLCA Mid-Atlantic Region (First Team) and participated with the U.S. National Lacrosse team at their training camps.

Among this year’s honorees are (clockwise from top left): the 1976 baseball team, Courtney Murphy, Joe Passaro, the Tri Hamlet Sports Club, Steve Murphy and Ginine (Lucarello) Duda.

The William Floyd School District, along with the William Floyd Alumni Association, is pleased to announce the 12th class of Athletic Hall of Fame honorees who will be recognized at a ceremony and luncheon on Saturday, January 19 at 12 pm in the William Floyd High School senior cafeteria. This year’s class of honorees includes one team award recipient, a community award recipient, an honorary award recipient and four individual athletes who have made a mark on William Floyd athletics.

Honorary Award recipient: Joe Smith Jr. (Harry How/Getty Images)

This year’s honorees include the 1976 league champion varsity baseball team coached by Mike Ferrigno, which finished with a 17-1 record and made it all the way to the top four in the Suffolk County baseball tournament. The Tri Hamlet Sports Club is also garnering induction for their work teaching important baseball skills and fundamentals for the youth of our community. Earning this year’s honorary award is professional boxer Joe Smith Jr., Class of 2007, who did not compete in athletics for William Floyd, but has distinguished himself in the world of boxing by attaining the status of WBC International Light Heavyweight Champion. He also made highlight reels around the world for knocking boxing legend Bernard Hopkins out of the ring.

The outstanding individual athletes garnering induction this year include Joseph Passaro, Class of 1978, a three-sport athlete (football, baseball and basketball) earning various accolades in each sport including the 1978 “Outstanding Male Athlete” award for William Floyd. The next standout athlete garnering induction is Ginine (Lucarello) Duda, Class of 2002, a dominant track and field and cross country athlete who won the Suffolk County “A” Cross Country Championship in 1999 among other achievements and set numerous William Floyd records during her time as a Colonial athlete. Also being enshrined is Steve Murphy, Class of 2009, a two-sport athlete (football and lacrosse), a two-time All-Long Island First Team lacrosse player who was ranked #26 as a recruit by Inside Lacrosse Magazine, among many accolades in lacrosse. He also earned several top honors as a member of the football team such as All-State (First Team), All-Long Island (First Team) and the Boomer Esiason Award given annually to the best quarterback in Suffolk County. The fourth individual athlete being honored is Courtney Murphy, Class of 2013, a standout lacrosse player who amassed 252 goals and 55 assists during her time as a Colonial. She earned All-County (three times), All-Long Island (twice) and is a two-time Under Armour All-American as well as an All-American for Inside Lacrosse magazine. She also earned All-County honors in two other sports – basketball and field hockey.

This year’s class joins the ranks of 68 individual athletes, six coaches, five community award recipients, one recipient in the “Floyd Fanatic” category and 11 team award recipients, including the 1962 baseball team, the 1969 boys cross country team, the 1972 boys cross country team, the 1981-82 girls basketball team, the 1982 varsity football team, the 1986 girls cross country team, the 1987 bowling team, the 1991 softball team, the 1994 boys basketball team, the 2001 football team and the 2002 wrestling team.

To be considered for the individual honor, nominees must be alumni of William Floyd High School and have exhibited both excellence and sportsmanship during their time as a William Floyd student athlete. The annual Hall of Fame induction ceremony, sponsored by the William Floyd Alumni Association, is designed to recognize former outstanding athletes and role models of the past while strengthening the bonds between the community, the district and its alumni.

The ceremony will take place in the William Floyd High School senior cafeteria at 12 pm on Saturday, January 19, 2019. The cost to attend the luncheon is $35 per person, children six to 12 cost $17 and children under six are free. Tickets are available at the door and can also be purchased online at http://bit.ly/WFHallofFameTix. Please note there is a small service charge for tickets purchased online.

Please click here for the Athletic Hall of Fame nomination form! Please fill out and send to the address at the bottom of the form. If the nominee is not selected for the next induction, it will be held on file for future consideration.

Pictured left to right: WFMS principal Carolyn Schick with students Mali Roberts, Adriel Cuello, Giovanni Lepre, Skylinn Velez, Summer Lissy, Ariyanna Buono-Dorsain, Alice Chen and ELA teacher Beatrice Foster. Not pictured: Sean Maloney and Sabrina Rodriguez.

Nine aspiring sixth-grade authors at William Floyd Middle School recently had their work selected for inclusion in a new book, Stranger Sagas – Stories from New York, a writing contest for middle and high school students held by Young Writers USA, an organization dedicated to encouraging young people to read, write and enjoy poetry and creative writing. The contest, which received more than 13,500 entries, had students coming up with creative stories in 100 words or less. The book is scheduled for release on February 28.

Beatrice Foster, an English Language Arts teacher at William Floyd Middle School, discovered the writing contest and encouraged her students to come up with their own creative stories. This unique and very limited form of storytelling of 100 words or less prompted the students to consider the importance of each word they chose and challenged them to come up with a substantial plot that would make sense in so few words. “I am proud of the time and creativity my students put into their sagas,” said Ms. Foster, who added that the students were engaged and focused on the goal of getting published.

Congratulations to the students who will have their mini-sagas published in Stranger Sagas – Stories from New York:

• Ariyanna Buono-Dorsain, “Imposters”
• Alice Chen, “Last Hope”
• Adriel Cuello, “The Yellow Suit”
• Giovanni Lepre, “The Protector”
• Summer Lissy, “Noises Through the Night”
• Sean Maloney, “Meteor Hits Earth”
• Mali Roberts, “Wake Up”
• Sabrina Rodriguez, “The Basement”
• Skylinn Velez, “Then Who Are They?”

Ms. Ferraro’s Italian classes recently welcomed guests from Italy.

William Paca Middle School foreign language students in Natalie Ferraro’s Italian classes recently had the opportunity to welcome two of Ms. Ferraro’s cousins from Italy – Emilia and Francesco De Cicco – who conversed with students in Italian and shared with them about their family, their home and their culture.

“It’s important for students to understand why they’re learning a topic or taking a class,” said Ms. Ferraro, regarding the opportunity for students to communicate with others in the language they are learning. “They were able to take what they have learned in class and apply it to a real-life situation.” Ms. Ferraro added how she is proud that her students were able to hold a conversation in Italian after just a few short months of learning the language.

Per New York State law, students who are entering 6th grade for the 2019-2020 School Year will require additional immunizations:

• Tdap (described below)
• 2nd dose of Varicella—all students regardless of age—A health care provider’s signed medical record indicating the student had varicella disease is acceptable proof of immunity.
• In addition, a polio booster MAY be required depending on the dates of shots previously received.

Students who are entering 6th grade and who are 11 years of age or older must receive an immunization containing tetanus toxoids, diphtheria, and acellular pertussis (Tdap).

Students who are 10 years old and entering 6th grade will not be required to receive the Tdap until they turn 11 years old. At that time they must provide documentation of a booster dose of Tdap or provide proof of an appointment for the booster dose within 14 days.

We urge you to speak with your child’s healthcare provider regarding these immunizations so that your child’s transition to the middle school will not be disrupted due to this law.

As soon as your child receives these immunizations please provide proof to the school nurse so that it can be logged appropriately, avoiding your child’s exclusion from school in September.

Please feel free to contact your school nurse or myself with any questions you may have regarding this important matter.

William Floyd Elementary School teachers Brinna O’Hara (left) and Kimberly Mina (right) are pictured with the third-grade “Girls on the Run” participants.

Fourteen William Floyd Elementary School students recently participated in “Girls on the Run,” a 10-week program for girls designed to allow each participant to recognize her inner strength. Led by teachers Brinna O’Hara and Kimberly Mina, lessons are focused on positive social, emotional, mental and physical development with a 5K run as the culminating activity. The run, held at Hofstra University on a rainy day in December, is a non-competitive celebratory event that gives the girls a tangible understanding of the confidence that comes through accomplishment as well as a framework for setting and achieving life goals. “Despite the rain, the girls persevered and accomplished their goals!” said Ms. O’Hara, adding that there are plans to continue and expand the program moving forward.

Congratulations to the “Girls on the Run” participants: Melissa Alvarado Martinez, Emma Braun, Icela Coreas Diaz, Alana Crisostomo, Hailey Cutrone, Emma Drees, Emma Hodgson, Francesca Humberstone, Arianna Januszkiewicz, Sophia Iorio, Brittanny Malone, Abigail Pena, Leighton Wicklow and Tyania Williams on completing the 5k run and a first successful season of Girls on the Run! Special thanks also go out to teacher Alba Salazar and Jeanne Jakum for volunteering as running buddies during the 5K!

Please see more photos in the flickr album below!

William Floyd High School offers a driver education program to eligible William Floyd students. In order to be eligible, the student must be at least 16 years old and be in possession of a valid learner’s permit or junior license. All students are chosen by date of birth not “first-come, first served.” Students will attend class for a total of three (3) hours per week (90 minutes of lecture, 90 minutes in car). Students must attend every scheduled session in order to meet the attendance requirements as mandated by the NYS Department of Motor Vehicles, in cooperation with the NYS Department of Education. It is the student’s responsibility to notify the driver education office to arrange a make-up class. Any student with three (3) or more absences with makeups will be dropped. Upon successful completion of the course the student will be issued a certificate of completion (MV-285). The MV-285 is needed for students to obtain a class D license on the students 17th birthday, along with a reduction in car insurance.

The completed application and consent form must be signed by a parent/guardian. A parent/guardian signature acknowledges that the student/parent/guardian is aware of the attendance requirements and responsibilities.

Please return the application only and consent form (no checks) to the driver education office in the William Floyd School District district office (240 Mastic Beach Road, Mastic Beach, NY 11951) by January 15, 2019.Applications can be mailed or dropped off (8 am – 12 pm) in the district office or faxed to (631) 874-1847, but MUST be received by January 15, 2019 to be considered.

Selected students will receive a letter in the mail or an email letting them know if they have been selected. Selected students will need to submit a check/money order/cash for $400 along with a clear copy of their learner’s permit/license, to the driver education office between the hours of 8 am to 3:30 pm by January 24, 2019.

Once the course begins there will be no refunds issued.

Students participating in sports will not be permitted to miss scheduled classes for games or practices.

Spring classes are scheduled to begin February 1, 2019 and completed the week of June 14, 2019. Classes canceled due to weather conditions may extend the session as needed. All students must complete all required lectures and drives to receive the DMV MV-285 completion certificate.

**Please note that transportation to and from driver education is not provided by the district.**

If you have any questions please call or email the driver education office between 8 am and 2 pm, Monday through Friday at (631) 874-1678, or email dducoing@wfsd.k12.ny.us.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD AND PRINT THE SCHEDULE AND APPLICATION

Please click the photo to see some of the positive news stories featured about the William Floyd School District from November 9 through December 31, 2018. You can also view it by clicking here!

To view previous recaps, click here!

Nathaniel Woodhull Elementary School music teacher Christopher Miranda with school principal Monica Corona and students by the tubulum!

When Nathaniel Woodhull Elementary School music teacher Christopher Miranda was in college studying to become a music educator, it never crossed his mind that one day he would be using size nine-and-a-half flip flops and PVC piping as part of his lesson plans.

That odd fact came true after Mr. Miranda spent last summer building his own “tubulum,” a PVC-pipe instrument that can play multiple bass notes and low tones in one instrument. It’s also the perfect complement to boomwhackers – colorful tubes that emit higher octave sounds – which he uses regularly in class.

Building a tubulum was years in the making for Mr. Miranda and something that he thought would be fun and memorable for his students. So, he spent weeks last summer researching and planning out the proper way to build the tubulum from the ground up. He determined the length of each tube based on the desired note, calculated those lengths, built a wooden frame and drilled out each hole to assemble it, using a design similar to a piano. He also spent hours dry-fitting the pipes with angle couplers to organize and fit them into the frame so it would be “aesthetically pleasing on one end and wild and crazy on the other.” He topped it off by painting each note to match the color scheme for the boomwhackers so students can easily cross over between playing both instruments.

Since its debut this past fall, the tubulum, which was inspired by the Blue Man Group and a musician named “Snubby J,” has been a hit with students and adults alike.

“Students say the best part about it is that you play it with flip flops,” said Mr. Miranda.

He and his colleagues have recorded small samples of “Billie Jean” by Michael Jackson on the instrument and students have had a go at playing “This Land is Your Land” by Woody Guthrie and the holiday favorite, “We Wish You a Merry Christmas.” Mr. Miranda and his students even demonstrated the instrument at a recent meeting of the Board of Education to the delight of the trustees and all in attendance.

Please enjoy this rendition of “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” performed by Becky Neikens and Wendel Thelot.

Members of the girls’ varsity and junior varsity teams in their “Score for a Cure” t-shirts. Varsity coaching staff: Rich Sinclair, head coach; Madison Gunderson, assistant coach; and Jamie Spencer, assistant coach. Junior varsity coaching staff: Nicole Alesi, head coach; and Maria Carucci, assistant coach.

The William Floyd High School girls’ varsity and junior varsity basketball teams recently raised $814 in the “Score for a Cure/Coaches versus Cancer” fundraiser to benefit the American Cancer Society. For this fundraising effort, the student-athletes held a bake sale, sold t-shirts and collected donations from friends and family. Varsity head coach Rich Sinclair would like to express his gratitude to all of the players and their families for their efforts in making this a successful fundraiser.

Kraig Benson, William Floyd Elementary School third grader, with his art teacher Linda Francis (right) and Theresa Bianco, Fine Arts chairperson, William Floyd School District.

William Paca Middle School sixth grader Lily Gomez with her art teacher Jillian Berner (right) and Theresa Bianco, Fine Arts, chairperson, William Floyd School District.

Two William Floyd student-artists – Lily Gomez, a sixth grader at William Paca Middle School, and Kraig Benson, a third grader at William Floyd Elementary School – were recently selected as grade level winners of the 2019 Shanti Fund “Peace Artworks” poster contest. For their efforts, Lily will receive a cash prize of $601 and Kraig will receive $301. The theme of this year’s contest was “Peace and Gandhi” and as grade level winners, their artwork will also be included in the Shanti Fund’s 13th annual Peace Calendar.

Lily’s artwork consisted of Earth’s sphere with all the continents with words written on them such as crime, poverty, racism and terrorism written on them with a paintbrush in the colors of the rainbow with words such as love, peace, kindness and acceptance painting over the world. Included in the artwork was one of Gandhi’s famous quotes, “In a gentle way, you can shake the world.”

Regarding the meaning behind her work, Lily explained, “Even with all the negativity in the world, there is always a way to make a change for the better and paint the world with peace.” Jillian Berner, Lily’s art teacher at William Paca Middle School, described Lily as a dedicated student with incredible talent and attention to detail.

Kraig’s artwork consisted of a silhouette of Gandhi under a bright sun and blue skies symbolizing peace along with his famous quote: “If you want to reach real peace in that world, we should start educating children.”

“Kraig has shown a love for drawing since kindergarten,” said Linda Francis, Kraig’s art teacher at William Floyd Elementary School. “He was inspired to draw Gandhi’s silhouette in art class and his creativity and talent is amazing. I’d like to congratulate him and hope he continues his genuine interest in art and drawing.”

William Paca Middle School sixth grader Lily Gomez with her art teacher Jillian Berner (right) and Theresa Bianco, Fine Arts, chairperson, William Floyd School District.

Two William Floyd student-artists – Lily Gomez, a sixth grader at William Paca Middle School, and Kraig Benson, a third grader at William Floyd Elementary School – were recently selected as grade level winners of the 2019 Shanti Fund “Peace Artworks” poster contest. For their efforts, Lily will receive a cash prize of $601 and Kraig will receive $301. The theme of this year’s contest was “Peace and Gandhi” and as grade level winners, their artwork will also be included in the Shanti Fund’s 13th annual Peace Calendar.

Kraig Benson, William Floyd Elementary School third grader, with his art teacher Linda Francis (right) and Theresa Bianco, Fine Arts chairperson, William Floyd School District.

Lily’s artwork consisted of Earth’s sphere with all the continents with words written on them such as crime, poverty, racism and terrorism written on them with a paintbrush in the colors of the rainbow with words such as love, peace, kindness and acceptance painting over the world. Included in the artwork was one of Gandhi’s famous quotes, “In a gentle way, you can shake the world.”

Regarding the meaning behind her work, Lily explained, “Even with all the negativity in the world, there is always a way to make a change for the better and paint the world with peace.” Jillian Berner, Lily’s art teacher at William Paca Middle School, described Lily as a dedicated student with incredible talent and attention to detail.

Kraig’s artwork consisted of a silhouette of Gandhi under a bright sun and blue skies symbolizing peace along with his famous quote: “If you want to reach real peace in that world, we should start educating children.”

“Kraig has shown a love for drawing since kindergarten,” said Linda Francis, Kraig’s art teacher at William Floyd Elementary School. “He was inspired to draw Gandhi’s silhouette in art class and his creativity and talent is amazing. I’d like to congratulate him and hope he continues his genuine interest in art and drawing.”

We will be administering the New York State Regents Examinations January 22, 2019 through January 25, 2019. As a result, we will be using a testing schedule and modified transportation schedule. CLICK HERE to view additional information including the bus schedule.

Due to the seriousness of the testing administration as well as the need to provide optimal test-taking conditions, please reinforce with your children the following expectations:

• Students will be searched upon entering the building.
• Students should bring only appropriate test materials. All backpacks and pocketbooks will be confiscated.
• NO cell phones and electronic equipment are allowed in the building. All cell phones and electronic equipment brought into the building will be confiscated. A parent/guardian will be required to pick up any confiscated cell phones /electronic equipment in the Main Office between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. only.
• The use of any communications device is strictly prohibited. If communication devices are used, no matter how briefly, the student’s examinations will be invalidated and no score will be calculated for that student.
• There are no make-ups for these examinations. Students must take these examinations on the specified days and at the specified times.
• Students must remain for the entire testing period (three hours) allotted for all Regents exams.
• Breakfast and lunch will be available in the 9th grade food court prior to the beginning of these examinations. Breakfast and lunch times are noted on page two of the attachment.
• Students who take a bus to school are to be at their assigned bus stop at their regular scheduled time for morning exams and at 11 am for afternoon exams.

In order to receive a high school diploma, the New York State Education Department requires that students pass multiple Regents examinations. Your child may not be eligible for graduation until he/she satisfies all Regents examinations requirements. Attendance at the appropriate exams is, therefore, expected. Students, parents, or guardians who have questions regarding state mandated testing requirements should contact their child’s guidance counselor.

If you have any concerns regarding the details of this letter, please call the high school office at 874-1720 or your child’s guidance counselor at 874-1130 or 874-1150.

To download and print a copy of the January Regents schedule and all related information, CLICK HERE

The William Floyd High School Acabellas under the direction of Donia Rivera with Board of Education President Robert Vecchio.

The Acabellas, the William Floyd High School all-female a capella group under the direction of Donia Rivera, recently had the opportunity to be the featured guests on “Spotlight on Long Island Schools,” a Long Island News Radio 103.9 FM program focusing on the positive things happening in school districts all across Long Island. “Spotlight” is hosted by William Floyd Board of Education President Robert Vecchio and airs Saturday mornings at 10:30 am on 103.9 FM or at linewsradio.com.

Mr. Vecchio interviewed Ms. Rivera and several members of the group to discuss what it’s like being a member of Acabellas, hear about their memorable experiences such as performing at Carnegie Hall with their fellow William Floyd a cappella group “The Soundsations” in 2017 and hearing about some of the student-musicians’ plans for the future. To round out the show, the ladies performed two classic songs – “I Feel the Earth Move” by Carole King and “Here Comes the Sun” by The Beatles.

Have a listen at the links below!

Spotlight on Long Island Schools – 12/22/18 – Part I
Spotlight on Long Island Schools – 12/22/18 – Part II

Among this year’s honorees are (clockwise from top left): the 1976 baseball team, Courtney Murphy, Joe Passaro, the Tri Hamlet Sports Club, Steve Murphy and Ginine (Lucarello) Duda.

The William Floyd School District, along with the William Floyd Alumni Association, is pleased to announce the 12th class of Athletic Hall of Fame honorees who will be recognized at a ceremony and luncheon on Saturday, January 19 at 12 pm in the William Floyd High School senior cafeteria. This year’s class of honorees includes one team award recipient, a community award recipient, an honorary award recipient and four individual athletes who have made a mark on William Floyd athletics.

Honorary Award recipient: Joe Smith Jr. (Harry How/Getty Images)

This year’s honorees include the 1976 league champion varsity baseball team coached by Mike Ferrigno, which finished with a 17-1 record and made it all the way to the top four in the Suffolk County baseball tournament. The Tri Hamlet Sports Club is also garnering induction for their work teaching important baseball skills and fundamentals for the youth of our community. Earning this year’s honorary award is professional boxer Joe Smith Jr., Class of 2007, who did not compete in athletics for William Floyd, but has distinguished himself in the world of boxing by attaining the status of WBC International Light Heavyweight Champion. He also made highlight reels around the world for knocking boxing legend Bernard Hopkins out of the ring.

The outstanding individual athletes garnering induction this year include Joseph Passaro, Class of 1978, a three-sport athlete (football, baseball and basketball) earning various accolades in each sport including the 1978 “Outstanding Male Athlete” award for William Floyd. The next standout athlete garnering induction is Ginine (Lucarello) Duda, Class of 2002, a dominant track and field and cross country athlete who won the Suffolk County “A” Cross Country Championship in 1999 among other achievements and set numerous William Floyd records during her time as a Colonial athlete. Also being enshrined is Steve Murphy, Class of 2009, a two-sport athlete (football and lacrosse), a two-time All-Long Island First Team lacrosse player who was ranked #26 as a recruit by Inside Lacrosse Magazine, among many accolades in lacrosse. He also earned several top honors as a member of the football team such as All-State (First Team), All-Long Island (First Team) and the Boomer Esiason Award given annually to the best quarterback in Suffolk County. The fourth individual athlete being honored is Courtney Murphy, Class of 2013, a standout lacrosse player who amassed 252 goals and 55 assists during her time as a Colonial. She earned All-County (three times), All-Long Island (twice) and is a two-time Under Armour All-American as well as an All-American for Inside Lacrosse magazine. She also earned All-County honors in two other sports – basketball and field hockey.

This year’s class joins the ranks of 68 individual athletes, six coaches, five community award recipients, one recipient in the “Floyd Fanatic” category and 11 team award recipients, including the 1962 baseball team, the 1969 boys cross country team, the 1972 boys cross country team, the 1981-82 girls basketball team, the 1982 varsity football team, the 1986 girls cross country team, the 1987 bowling team, the 1991 softball team, the 1994 boys basketball team, the 2001 football team and the 2002 wrestling team.

To be considered for the individual honor, nominees must be alumni of William Floyd High School and have exhibited both excellence and sportsmanship during their time as a William Floyd student athlete. The annual Hall of Fame induction ceremony, sponsored by the William Floyd Alumni Association, is designed to recognize former outstanding athletes and role models of the past while strengthening the bonds between the community, the district and its alumni.

The ceremony will take place in the William Floyd High School senior cafeteria at 12 pm on Saturday, January 19, 2019. The cost to attend the luncheon is $35 per person, children six to 12 cost $17 and children under six are free. Tickets are available at the door and can also be purchased online at http://bit.ly/WFHallofFameTix. Please note there is a small service charge for tickets purchased online.

Please click here for the Athletic Hall of Fame nomination form! Please fill out and send to the address at the bottom of the form. If the nominee is not selected for the next induction, it will be held on file for future consideration.