The mentor program at Accompsett Middle School brings together English Language Learners and English-speaking students to create and foster friendships and integration into the school and community, while helping the ENL students learn English as well.

As their year together is coming to a close, the seventh-graders in the program joined with their buddies for a game of charades on May 30 during their lunch periods.

This program meets formally once a month, but outside of the arranged meetings, students are encouraged to work cooperatively in their classes and spend time together in lunch. The mentors in the program learn about different cultures, and the program helps to increase their self-confidence and social skills. For the ENL students, the program is a perfect way to welcome them to the school community by fostering ongoing friendships with their mentor buddies.

Members of the Digital Media Club from Accompsett Middle School visited the News 12 studios on June 7. During the tour, students were able to visit the newsroom, graphics department, editing department and the News 12 studio. Students got a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to create a live news program.

On June 8, Accompsett Middle School held the Quarter 4 Students of Distinction Ceremony. This program recognizes two students from each academic team for their exemplary effort and outstanding work.

The breakfast and ceremony was held in the AMS Library Media Center. Our school counselors, Ms. Bootle and Ms. Richardson, read a brief message on the distinguishing qualities of each honoree. We would like to congratulate each of our Students of Distinction for embodying and modeling achievement, manners, and spirit in their daily performance.

Accompsett Middle School is honoring its local military heroes this Memorial Day by participating in a Flags for Freedom program.

Coordinated by the school’s Parent-Teacher Association, American flags were sold in honor or memory of loved ones who have or are serving in the military.

For a $25 donation, flags were available for purchase throughout the month. In total, the school sold 125 flags.

During the first weekend in May, the school’s Honor Society students and PTA parents worked to get the ground ready to display the flags, cleaning up the flowerbeds, drilling the holes for the flags and cutting the PVC piping. The flags are currently on display at the school to add a special touch to the ground for Memorial Day.  

Profits from the sale of the flags will be donated to America’s VetDogs, a local nonprofit that helps veterans with service dogs, and Boots on the Ground, a local veterans activity center.

On June 6, Accompsett Middle School recognized the Quarter 4 Scholar Athlete Team. The girls lacrosse team was honored for their excellent academic and athletic accomplishments. Each student received a Scholar Athlete T-shirt and certificate. Special thanks to the Smithtown Booster Club for sponsoring this valuable program and coach Danielle DeMola, Pat Smith, and Dave Miller for making this event possible.

Eighth-grade students at Accompsett Middle School are taking the opportunity to educate their classmates about the dangers of drugs and alcohol and the importance of positive decision-making.

The I’m Somebody program reinforces positive decision-making and the risks of drug and alcohol abuse as well as social media and our youth. Prevention specialist Gail Feldman from the Suffolk County Division of Mental Hygiene, Alcohol and Substance Abuse Services trained 12 select eighth-grade students at Accompsett Middle School about the importance of standing up for yourself and what you feel is right, withstanding peer pressure, the role of values in our lives as well as positive decision-making.  

Accompsett counselors then continued this training with these students and helped to create a 40-minute lesson where the eighth-graders presented to sixth-grade English classes during April and May.

Ryan Slattery, a student at Accompsett Middle School, was named a first-place winner in the Suffolk County Bar Association’s We the People essay contest.  

As part of an extra credit assignment, Slattery submitted a 250-word essay about what the words “we the people” mean to him. He was presented with a certificate and a $300 prize for his winning submission during the Suffolk County Bar Association’s annual meeting on May 1.