Eight students from Accompsett Middle School were recently recognized for their exceptional foreign language skills. The Long Island Language Teachers held an original poetry contest and the seventh grade students in foreign language teacher Maria DiLiberto’s class took home the top prizes. For their original poems in Italian, Thomas Natale placed first, Joseph Lamardo took second and Isabella Dantuono came in third in the contest. In the Spanish poetry contest, Abigail Jung placed first and Madhur Dyal was named the second-place winner. 

In a local essay contest sponsored by the Sons & Daughters of Italy in Smithtown, three Accompsett Middle School students took top honors. The essays, which were written in English, were filled with details about a family member whose roots were in Italy. The three winners were Haley Sasbon (first place), Carlie Tockarshewsky (second place) and Isabella Spilotros (third place). They each received monetary prizes and will be honored at a ceremony on July 11.

The district has named its 2019 Torch Award recipients. The Torch Award is presented to Smithtown teachers who have significantly contributed to the growth and professional development of their teacher colleagues. The Smithtown Teacher Center hosted a reception to honor all Torch Award recipients and nominees. The 2019 Torch Award recipients are, from left, Tracy McAlvin, Christa Braunreuther, Jonathan Ferrante, Christina Cone, Jeanmarie Wilson, James Schiraldi and Barbara DiSalvo.

Students in the Family, Career and Community Leaders of America Club teamed up with members of the National Junior Honor Society at Accompsett Middle School for a joint fundraising effort this March. 

March is National Nutrition month and the National Junior Honor Society members hosted a bake sale each Friday of the month. FCCLA Club members were hard at work in the kitchen, making homemade granola, muffins and parfaits.

The bake sale fundraiser was a perfect showcase of the district’s social-emotional and wellness initiatives, said Principal Paul McNeil. The efforts of both organization’s raised $550, which was donated to the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

The district’s elementary and middle schools have been selected as Project Lead the Way Distinguished Schools for 2018-2019 school year.

For a second consecutive year, all seven of the district’s elementary schools have been designated as Distinguished Launch Schools based on their PLTW Launch implementation and participation in the 2017-2018 school year. Smithtown’s elementary schools represent seven of the 11 schools identified in New York State, and seven of the 216 Launch schools being recognized nationally.  

All three of the district’s middle schools have been designated as Distinguished Gateway Schools based on their Gateway implementation and participation in the 2017-2018 school year. Smithtown represents the only three schools in New York State, and three of the 148 Gateway schools being recognized nationally.  

“This recognition is certainly representative of all of the hard work that has gone into our successful implementation on the part of the many staff and faculty members involved,” said Paul Strader, executive director of curriculum.