The Commack Schools family officially welcomed its newest member at Thursday night’s Board of Education meeting.

Victoria Hogan was appointed the next assistant principal at Commack Middle School.

She will succeed Frank Agovino, who is retiring at the school year’s completion.

Hogan has served for the past two school years as a district-wide instructional leader with the Mineola Union Free School District. In that role, her duties included collaborating with teachers and administrators on the creation and implementation of competency-based learning scales for kindergarteners through eighth graders as well as coaching new teachers.

“Her energy, enthusiasm and experience separated her from more than 200 applicants for the position,” assistant superintendent for human resources Scott Oshrin said.

Hogan earned a bachelor of arts in English with a minor in secondary education from Queens College, a masters in reading instruction from Goucher College and an advanced certificate in school building and school district leadership from The College of Saint Rose.

“The most exciting thing about being able to come to Commack is being welcomed into the Commack family itself,” Hogan said. “I’m excited to get to know everybody — the students, the staff, the community — and really make this my home.”

A transition plan is currently being implemented at CMS.

“We wish both Ms. Hogan and Mr. Agovino much luck and happiness as they begin the next journeys in their professional and personal lives,” Oshrin said. 

As part of their Earth Day Celebration, third graders at Burr planted a new butterfly garden on Friday in collaboration with the Town of Huntington. With shovels in hand, students were able to help each other in the process of digging and planting to complete the garden.

 

“This has been really great watching everyone working together,” Burr principal Daniel Ciccone said. “With the creation of the garden, we can allow our students to be able to create a legacy each year and eventually come back and show their kids.”

 

Third grade classes are currently raising caterpillars in their classrooms and will have the opportunity later this school year to safely release the insects into their new natural habitats.

The entire school gathered in front of the building in the afternoon to hear students read original poems about Earth. Town of Hempstead Supervisor Ed Smyth and Councilwoman Theresa Mari were in attendance, along with a crowd of more than 1,000 people.

CHS honored academic achievers among the senior class during a Top Cohort Breakfast on Thursday morning.

The 101 students, all of whom had weighted averages of 100 or greater, were treated to waffles — with administrators manning stations with toppings including whipped cream, chocolate syrup and sprinkles.

“That is an incredible accomplishment,” principal Carrie Lipenholtz told the students about their academic achievements, coupled with their community involvement.

The students will be formally honored at a ceremony with their families on June 5 at 6 p.m.

They will receive a special honor cord to affix to their gowns during graduation.

The honorees also will have the opportunity to serve as speakers at the various department functions and other events at the end of the school year.

CHS’ mock trial team has earned its first Law Day championship.

At the 50th annual Law Day, hosted by Northport High School in conjunction with the New York Bar Association, the team advanced to the playoff round.

Then, after three additional mini-trials, the team had won the championship.

Students from school districts across Long Island competed in the mock trials, which were judged by real-life attorneys and judges.

Teams rotated among classrooms and received information about fictional cases. They then had just a few minutes to construct prosecution or defense cases.

The trial topics were inspired by famous films from each of the past five decades.

The Glamour Gals hosted local senior citizens on Thursday afternoon at CHS.

The club members painted the senior citizens' nails and chatted. The Spanish Honor Society joined in, serving refreshments including empanadas.

The event continued the tradition of CHS students embracing community members from other generations.

Senior citizens annually are invited to the high school's theatre productions and are then treated to a complimentary dinner.

The Commack Teachers Association led a food drive in conjunction with the Suffolk Y JCC's food pantry after school on Thursday. Students and their families, teachers and other community members stopped by throughout the afternoon to donate food items.

"We can't think of a better cause," Sawmill fourth grade teacher Rob Ciani said.

Indian Hollow Students participating in the Challenge Island STEAM program on Thursday played the part of interior designer, working in groups to design a bedroom diorama that would appeal to a 10-year-old child. 

 

Students were given play money to purchase their materials and focused on integrating different textures into their diorama. Each bedroom had a theme, and the students were tasked with providing a backstory of what went into the room. Currently, Challenge Island students are participating in a "career island" unit and are learning about various career paths that they can take when they get older.