Perspectives
HALF HOLLOW HILLS HIGH SCHOOL EAST PRINCIPAL’S NEWSLETTER
Volume 1 , Issue IV
June 14, 2010
A Special Message from Dr. Woodberry Greetings HS East Community,
The Insider’s View
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Perfect Attendance (page 2)
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What is 21st Century Learning? (page 5)
It has been a terrific year for us here at High School East. We could not have had a finer group of students, educators, parents and community members working together to achieve academic success. The college acceptance rates for our graduating class are truly remarkable and a direct result of our professional learning community’s (K-12) efforts to educate our children. As the school year comes to a close, I can fondly say that it has been a pleasure serving as the principal of this great school for the past three years. Good luck to the Class of 2010! I wish everyone an enjoyable and safe summer! Remember: Respect, Responsibility and Excellence! Sincerely,
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Student Performances Take Center Stage (page 7)
Dr. J. A. Woodberry Principal, HS East
A New Lawn Sign for High School East Inside this issue:
Page 4 Creative Writing students share stories with elementary students
Page 6 Video students win
Best in Show
Page 7 Student composes original musical
Pages 8 HS East alumnus is remembered
A new LED lawn sign for HS East has been the pet project of our School Based Management Team for several years, but it was this year’s team with parent Maria Russo Schwartz, community member and former student Ashley Cantor, teachers Gloria Mandell and Rosemarie Elder, Assistant Principal Darlene Lilla, students Alejandro Henao, David Goldman, Christian Laskaros, Paige Iaquinta, Jacob Henner, Matt Sokol, and student team leader Joshua Shinbrot that made it happen. After raising money through various endeavors including an iPod raffle at Safe Halloween, a netbook raffle at Winter Pep Rally, and our “Buy a Brick” campaign, we enlisted the help of architectural design student Justin Stricker, featured right with teacher Ms. Mead. He created two designs with brick work and landscaping to beautify the sign. Also shown in the designs is the circular walkway which will be comprised of the bricks engraved with names and messages from our donators and supporters. The “Buy a Brick” campaign is still going on and all proceeds at this point will go toward the beautification and maintenance of the sign.
Once the sign arrives and is installed, student Johnathan Bacchus will take on the project as part of his Eagle Scout requirement, of making Justin’s design come to fruition. We are hoping for the sign to be up and running for the new school year. Special thanks go out to the entire School Based Management team, Mr. Anthony Fede, Dr. Woodberry and Dr. Karnilow for their ongoing support.
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Awards, Honors, and Contest Winners Seniors Honored for Academic Achievement Numerous awards and honors were bestowed on HS East seniors at the 2010 Academic Awards Ceremony on the evening of June 3rd. The most prestigious awards went out to Jared DeRossi for Perfect Attendance (see article below), Matthew Miecnikowski (pictured below right), winner of the National Merit Scholarship Program Award, Alexandra Gaspard (pictured below left) for the National Achievement Scholarship Program Award, and Kimberly Gill for the National Merit Scholarship Corporation Award. Additionally, this year’s recipients of the Robert C. Byrd Honors Scholarship Award were Sonia Bansal, Carly Emmer, Alyssa Hasbrouck, Daniel Park and Olivia Wang. Andre Doughty
was honored with the Fran Greenspan Half Hollow Hills Community Award, which is presented to a graduating senior who models effective leadership, possesses good moral character, demonstrates selfless dedication, and strives to create a more cohesive district-wide school community. The Triple “A“ Award, representing a senior who excels in academics, the arts and athletics, went to Carly Emmer, and Chelsea Renter was the recipient for the Golden “H” Award. Congratulations to all award winning seniors!
Perfect Attendance Perfect attendance for thirteen years is highly improbable for most people, but Jared DeRossi makes it sound like a walk in the park. Not only has he never missed a day of school, but he has absolutely no cuts or tardiness. When asked what inspired him to never miss school, he replied, “my parents.” Jared also claims that the few times he was sick over the years always occurred during vacation time. Jared, one of our top 20 outstanding students, will attend the University of Rhode Island and pursue a career in Pharmacy. In the words of Dr. Woodberry, “Jared is every employer’s dream.”
Poetry Alive Adelphi University held its annual Poetry Alive Workshop/ Contest Festival on April 13, 2010. Selected students from a c r o s s Long Island were invited to attend this eventful day saluting the art of writing poetry. Prior to the actual date, students emailed their original poems to the judging board for review. Helen Liu, a ninth grader from HS East took home the coveted title of “Best in Contest for Ninth Grade”. Congratulations to Helen for this outstanding achievement.
Financial Literacy Winners Students in Mr. Cappiello, Ms. Cappiello and Ms. Southard’s classes participated in the 2010 National Financial Capability Challenge. There were 25 HS East student winners and two of the winners, Trevor M. Reddick and Brandon Siegenfeld, received perfect scores and are featured in the photo. The following is a description of the challenge from the website www.challenge.treas.gov: “Department of the Treasury and the U.S. Department of Education have teamed up to launch the National Financial Capability Challenge for 2010. The Challenge is an initiative
designed to engage educators in the teaching of personal finance, and to increase the financial knowledge and capability of high school aged youth across the United States so they can take control over their financial futures.”
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Volume 1 , Issue IV
Contest Winners Across the Curriculum Moody Mega Math Challenge
French Exam Winners
Two teams of students from HS East competed in this year’s Moody Mega Math Challenge. The students were from Mr. Del Giudice’s AP Calculus BC and AP Computer Science A courses. The team featured below consisting of Angad Sidhu, Kevin Norris, Philip Cohn-Cort, Maggie Han, Karishma Sabhnani and Amy Neuburger wrote an excellent paper which earned them a spot in the second round.
French teachers Ms. Sirulnick and Ms. Sassone were proud to announce several winners this year for the National French Exam competition at the County and National levels. The exam, Le Grand Concours is an annual competition sponsored by the American Association of Teachers of French. Students take a written test and compete against students with similar educational backgrounds for prizes including certificates, medals, books, DVDs, trips, and scholarships. The National winners are featured in the photo below along with their teachers. They are: Shreyas Havaldar, National Level 2; Philip Cohn-Cort, National Level 3; Karishma Sabhnani, National Level 4, 6th place; and Berlande Benoit, National Level 5, 8th place. The County winners are: Shreyas Havaldar, Tammy Jin, Amanda Luper, Alexa Gottesman, Susan Zhang, Danielle Poliak, Nicole Poliak, Michelle Wang, Philip Cohn-Cort, Theodora Misthos, Rachel Dreznin, Karishma Sabhnani, Arielle Koppell and Jake Cohen.
In the challenge, students had to use their math knowhow to evaluate U.S. Census Bureau figures and methods in order to make recommendations for undercount adjustment, the best method for apportioning the U.S. House of Representatives, and the fairest way to draw Congressional districts. For more information about the challenge, visit the website at http:// m3challenge.siam.org.
Social Studies Teacher is Twice Honored Cynthia Yantz Cullen, Social Studies teacher extraordinaire, was selected as the 2010 recipient of the Long Island Council for the Social Studies Mark Rothman Outstanding Social Studies Teacher Mentoring Award. This award is given to a social studies teacher who has at least five years teaching experience working as a cooperating teacher, supervisor or mentor in another capacity, and has demonstrated high standards of knowledge in content and pedagogy as well as service to school and com-
munity.
Congratulations for two outstanding Additionally, each year the Associa- accomplishments! tion of Suffolk Supervisors of Educational Technology (ASSET) recognizes one teacher from each member district who effectively used technology in meaningful ways with their students and within their professional practice. This year Ms. Yantz Cullen was selected as the Half Hollow Hills teacher to be honored at the annual luncheon.
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21st Century Learning their own original and fully illustrated children’s books. The final products Students in Ms. Burnett’s Creative were quite impressive and Ms. BurWriting class explored the world of nett was not satisfied with merely children’s literature and then wrote displaying these fine works in the classroom. She and Assistant Principal Darlene Lilla teamed up to promote the possibility of the high school students sharing their works with elementary school children in our district.
Writing Collaborative
Sunquam and Paumonok, as the venues for their presentations. Sunquam’s Principal Ms. Littell and Assistant Principal Mr. Snyder, along with Paumonok’s Principal Mrs. Cooper and Assistant Principal Mr. Bierwiler, were thrilled with the idea and once a date was set, got to work designing a schedule for the event.
One of the books, The Frog in the Boot, written by Megan Thorbjornsen, Jennifer Chung, Brianna Perdue and Julia Bertolino, and illustrated by Brianna Perdue, all pictured below The students chose the right, was such a success, it is being elementary schools considered for publication by a chilthat they had attended, dren’s book publisher.
Wellness in the 21st Century Students of the nutrition committee were out in force on Tuesday, May 18th to share their expertise with Health classes throughout the day. They created lessons about healthy eating, obesity, and how to balance their choices in our lunchroom. The students collaborated in small groups to research, prepare lesson plans and design a presentation procedure. The committee included members: Max Truen, Jimmy Reiser, Rob Merckling, Jordan Fitterman, Hannah Kenagy, Anjani Patel, Lekha Grandhi, Peter Scelfo, Jon Cohen, Eric Kessler, Maxx Meyer, Danielle Gebhardt, Jessie Mangano, Neilab Rahimzada, Lexi Nass, Jamie Padell, Rachel Geller, Brandon Ehrlich, Kyle Birns, BreAsia Braddy, Austin Flax, Stephanie Piazzola,
and Emily Spevack. Special thanks to Mr. Bongino for organizing the yearly event.
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21st Century Learning Students Teaching Students of advisor Joanne Rubin, prepared and vowed to make more of an efDo you know what would happen if the earth warmed just two degrees? Social studies classes learned the dire consequences from fellow students of Youth to Youth Teaching in an all day “teach-in”. Christian Laskaros (featured right), Rebecca Gerber, Brittany Bloom, Dimi Lowe, Jenn Carle, Olivia Traina, and Ashley Jimenez, under the expert tutelage
and executed lessons for their peers fort to recycle and conserve energy. and presented throughout the day in the Lecture Hall. The lessons were engaging, interactive and packed with fascinating information regarding global warming and how to protect our planet. Students in the audience offered solutions
What is 21st Century Learning? fluence, agility and adaptability, initiative and entrepreneurialism, effecThe focus of staff development at tive oral and written communicaHigh School East this year has been tion, accessing and analyzing inforexploring 21st Century learning mation and curiosity and imaginaskills. As we become a more global tion. These are not new skills, but society it is imperative that we equip our goal has been to highlight strateour students with skills that will gies to enhance and nurture them in keep them competitive with others the classroom. We have had sevaround the world. These seven sur- eral workshops culminating in teachvival skills, as they are referred to by ers submitting lessons or strategies author, education expert and Har- which they have used that convey a vard University professor Tony particular skill or skills effectively. Wagner, are critical thinking and Teachers offered very unique lesproblem solving, collaboration sons and submitted samples of stuacross networks and leading by in- dent work which was outstanding.
Below is a unique project from a chemistry class “creativity” project where a student built a model of New York City incorporating the Periodic Table.
Science and Architecture Unite The photo below captures one such project presented by Kevin O’Reilly. “Creativity is a mental process in- In this architectural rendering of volving the discovery of new ideas Manhattan/The Periodic Table, or concepts, or new associations of Kevin represents several concepts in the existing ideas or concepts, fueled by the process of either conscious or unconscious thought.” Thus begins Ms. Patti Schmitt’s description of the Creativity Project for her Honors Chemistry classes. Students selected a concept in chemistry that they either found intriguing or challenging. They then had to demonstrate the concept in a CREATIVE way.
chemistry. For example, the trees in Central Park represent the Transition Elements which are found in nature. There are also two liquids represented: Mercury is a pond in Central Park and Bromine is on the top of a building as a pool. Additionally, Hydrogen, the first element, is in a class by itself and is represented by Ellis Island. There are numerous other concepts also depicted in the model and Kevin had to really think about the geography of Manhattan to make the symbolic connections.
We plan to begin the fall with teachers sharing some of their techniques and strategies with their peers. Our students are truly benefiting from our teachers’ enthusiasm to embrace 21st Century learning skills. As always we are doing what we can to improve learning and instruction at High School East.
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Spotlight on Media Arts and Architecture Best in Show Honors for Video Students Each year the Heckscher Museum of Art hosts Long Island’s Best; Young Artists at the Heckscher. This juried exhibition, which ran from April 17 to May 2, 2010, featured work by art students in grades 9 through 12 from over 50 public and private schools throughout Nassau and Suffolk Counties. This is the only program on Long Island that offers high school students the opportunity to show their art in a professional art museum. Several art students from HS East were selected for inclusion in this year’s exhibition. Ms Uttendorfer’s video students Dean Baram (featured left), and Amanda Garelick and Victoria Pirulli (featured above right), submitted films, and Nikki Horowitz submitted a digital pho-
Future Architects HS East and HS West architectural design students participated in the 4th Annual Architecture Review on May 27, 2010. Students presented their best works including Iron CAD 3D digital modeling, traditional residential/ commercial models, architectural renderings, floor plans and site elevations to a panel of both professional architects and college level architecture students. This year we were grateful to have HS East alumni Nick Wan
tograph. Peter McNierney, who studies AP Art with Ms. Norris, and has been the recipient of several awards this year, submitted an original drawing. Ms. Mead’s students Nauma Haider and Ari Horowitz, submitted architectural inspired pieces. Amanda Garelick and Victoria Pirulli’s film entitled One in a Dozen, received the Best in Show honor and was acknowledged at the opening reception on Sunday, April 18th. from Temple University Architecture Program and Nick Angelo studying architecture at the University of Texas. There was also a family member of one of Ms. Mead’s Architecture II students, Michelle Keens, from the architecture program at Roger Williams University. The professional architects were HS East Alumni David Macanany and Michael Sargent. Also donating their time were Mr. Sal Coco from BHC Architects, and Frank Restituto and Richard Mucha from the firm of Frank A. Restituto, Architects. This was an invaluable experience for our students as they are able to learn from professionals outside of the classroom. Contributed by Marianne Mead
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Accolades of Praise and Honors for Theatre and Music A New Musical Comes to Life at HS East
a 6 piece band on stage. Most amazingly is that while they don’t realize it, the characters actually have met in the past and those moments have had huge impacts on each of their lives.
An astoundingly original and brilliant new musical play entitled “6” opened on the HS East Lecture Hall stage Friday, May 21, 2010. If you were lucky enough to have seen it, you know you experienced a talent that will undoubtedly The show was an abachieve greatness. solute wonder to and was The play’s composer/lyricist, our watch brought to life by six own Zach Zadek, says the show is talented actors Gina Amico, Andre about “faith, fate, and the connections created between all people on Doughty, Matt Jurman, Rachel KarEarth.” The theory of “six degrees mel, Ryan Kober, and Bryce of separation” is the controlling McDonough, and student director idea behind the story and indeed Jacy McDonough. Mr. Zadek claims the number six is a motif through- Stephen Sondheim as one of the out the play. There are six char- influences for his composition. This acters whose stories unfold over was evident in the depth of the six years of their lives, and there is characterization and complexity of the music and lyrics, which was
truly astonishing at times. Mr. Zadek collaborated with Commack graduate Gina DePalo, to whom he refers as his “partner in crime.” It is a partnership one hopes will continue into the future. If it does, we will be seeing these names in lights on Broadway in the not so distant future.
Student Performers Take Center Stage Congratulations to the HS East Chorus for receiving a Gold Medal for their performance at the NYSSMA Majors Festival on Thursday, April 22, 2010. Also this year, HS East was nominated for an unprecedented 16 TOBY awards by the Babylon Arts Council. At the awards ceremony on Monday, May 24th, hosted by West Babylon High School, HSE won the highest number of awards of all high schools represented. The Laramie Project won Best Play and Best Ensemble; Pippin won Best Pro duct io n Value; Andre Doughty (far
left) won Best Male Lead in a Musical; Sam Seleznow (right) won Best Male Vocal in a Musical; Zach Zadek won Best Supporting Actor in a Play; and Ryan Kober (left) won Best Supporting Actor in a Musical. Congratulations to all our performers!
HALF HOLLOW HILLS
Spring Sports Wrap Up
HIGH SCHOOL EAST
County Champs! PRINCIPAL’S NEWSLETTER
High School East 50 Vanderbilt Parkway Dix Hills, NY 11746
Produced by: Darlene Lilla Assistant Principal Phone: 631-592-3128 Fax: 631-592-3121 E-mail: dlilla@hhh.k12.ny.us
HS East boasts of several teams going all the way and winning Suffolk County Championships. Boys’ Tennis defeated The Ross School to clinch the title on May 25th. Also, tennis players Eric Bertuglia and Chris Hunter (featured below)
Scholar Athletes Every year we honor our athletes who also achieve academically. For the first time ever, every interscholastic varsity team at Half Hollow East High School qualified for the Scholar
won the Suffolk County Doubles Championship. Badminton had a highly successful season with Girls’ Badminton completing an undefeated season in addition to winning the county title. Also, congratulations go out to Steven Mincone and Steven Chung who both made All County at the Boys’ Suffolk County Golf Championship. Meg Sexton finished as one of the top 25 golfers in Suffolk
County at the Girls’ County Championship. We are proud of all of our athletes and look forward to their continued growth on the courts and fields.
Athlete Team Award. Individual honors were bestowed upon Jacob Golan (pictured here) for Suffolk and Nassau County Scholar Athlete for Boys’ Swimming; and Maxx Meyer and Carly Emmer for the Town of Huntington/Half Hollow Hills Athletic Award.
In Memory of a High ernor Patterson joined the the First Annual Matthew School East Alumnus friends and family of Mat- Logan Scarpati Memorial Visit Our Website: www.halfhollowhills.k12.ny.us
High School East
Almost a year ago, on July 20, 2009, HS East alumnus Matthew Scarpati was tragically killed by a drunk driver on the Wantagh State Bike Path. To remember Matthew and to ensure the safety of the approximately 1,000 cyclists and pedestrians that frequent this recreational path per day, many helped to circulate a petition for a protective barrier.
thew Scarpati to commemorate the installation of the guard rail and to honor Matt’s memory. The ceremony began at 8:00 a.m. and commenced in the 1st Miles for Matt Bike Tour along the north bound lanes of the Wantagh State Parkway, which was closed to vehicle traffic for the day. Numerous members of the HS East school and community participated in the event.
On Sunday, June 6th, Gov- This past Sunday, June 12th,
Soccer Tournament to benefit the Miles for Matt Foundation, took place on the Hills East Soccer fields. All proceeds went to the Miles for Matt Foundation, an organization that supports recreational safety in public venues, and offers financial assistance to students pursuing the athletic and academic areas of interest that Matthew held. —Thank you to Lauren DeStefano for her contribution to this article.