Smithtown Central School District Schools | Smithtown High School East

10 School Street, Saint James, NY 11780

Main Office: (631) 382-2705
Health Office: (631) 382-2710
Attendance Office: (631) 382-2716
Counseling Center: (631) 382-2750
Principal - Dr. Simmons (631) 382-2705
Assistant Principal - Mr. Aleci: (631) 382-2740
Assistant Principal - Mr. Pettis: (631) 382-2760
Assistant Principal - Mr. Rose: (631) 382-2720

SCSD IMPORTANT INFORMATION

From the Desk of the Principal:

Important Announcements Regarding Upcoming Events & Activities:

SCSD Emergency Preparedness Drill - November 24, 2020
Field of Honor Order Form
Wall of Heroes Application Form
Free Peer Tutoring
HSE students offering free tutoring services to students who are struggling with the
obstacles of remote learning to help them not only comprehend the material, but be
able to retain it and utilize it in a classroom setting. Our tutoring services will be
one-on-one for AP, honors, and regents courses listed on our website. Students will
provide the topic and subject that they need help in prior to the tutoring session, so
that our tutors can prepare themselves accordingly. They may also bring any
material related to their course, and the tutors can help them. The tutoring sessions
vary depending on the needs of the student. Meetings can be one-time, usually for
tests/quizzes/homework help or on a weekly basis for challenging courses. Each
tutoring session will be a 40-minute session or less and be conducted through
Zoom.
Our goal is to provide quality education to students to aid our peers through remote learning and beyond.
SHSE Club Activity Guide 20-21
NEW 2020-2021 BELL SCHEDULE
Senior Parking Sticker Letter
Recycle for a Cure: Pink Cans 4 Cancer
Help save our environment and help young women fight Breast Cancer on LI.
Pink recycling cans are found in the SHSE Cafeterias, Gyms, and on the Third Floor. Proceeds from each recyclable will help those fighting breast cancer afford treatment.

Resources for Parents & Guardians:

High School East News:

East Musicians Honor Local Veterans

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Although the traditional parade was canceled this year, the High School East symphonic band decided to still honor the local veterans in their community on Veterans Day. The band marched around the outside of the St. James Rehabilitation and Health Care Center on Nov. 11. The residents came outdoors to hear the patriotic songs. They created a sign to thank the student musicians and were grateful for the visit.

East Students Promote French Culture

Nov. 4-10 was National French Week and the French foreign language students at High School East celebrated with different activities throughout the week. The students enrolled in French 2-5 courses labeled classrooms and hallways throughout the building in French. They decorated the school with streamers, banners and photos of French landmarks. Students also created different slideshows and participated in a French trivia contest, with prizes awarded to the top scorers. The goal of National French Week is to promote the French culture and language.

Rewriting for Radio

Students in Kim Sundberg’s theatre arts class at Smithtown High School East are performing radio plays this month. Students were tasked with taking a familiar children’s story and rewriting into a radio play. The students worked collaboratively in small groups to choose their play, which will be performed on Google Meet. The lesson helps them work on sound effects and using their voices as sounds.

Flags Flying in Honor at High School East

In recognition of Veterans Day, the Field of Honor flags are flying high at Smithtown High School East. Mr. Coderre’s leadership class assembled the Field of Honor on Woodlawn Avenue behind the school in time for Veterans Day. Flags were purchased and dedicated as a fundraiser for the future Wall of Heroes project.

A Song for Veterans Day

In honor of Veterans Day, members of the High School East Chamber Choir created a video of themselves singing the National Anthem. Included in the video are personal statements from the students thanking our veterans for their service. Click here to view the video on YouTube.

HS East Researchers Win SBYIR Writing Contest

Two High School East ThINK Science Research Program students, senior Dylan McCreesh and junior Aman Mistry, will have their award-winning essays published this fall in the Stony Brook University Young Investigators Review Journal. The 2020 Young Investigators Writing Competition challenged Long Island students with writing about “dilemmas regarding one of four controversies in science including experimental therapy, neural algorithms, environmental policy, or sustainable engineering.”

Maria Zeitlin, High School East ThINK research coordinator, said, “I am so proud that two of the six students chosen from Long Island were East students. Reflection through writing is a tenant of the Science Research Program, and it was a terrific project we pursued into the summer months. Both Dylan and Aman are examples of dedicated student-scientists who have valuable perspectives on scientific topics relevant to society. In both papers, it is evident that most topics have diverse perspectives and an analysis must include multiple lenses.”

Aman’s paper, “Unraveling the Ethics Behind Experimental Drugs,” is timely and relevant during this global pandemic. His thoughtful discussion of “compassionate use” of experimental therapies engaged both sides of what we have recently experienced with the issuance of such drugs. Dylan’s essay, “Mitigating Automated Discrimination,” provides a mindful expository on the bias that may be present in algorithmic decision-making processes. Ultimately, humans develop AGD and their inherent bias may be difficult to be recognized and mitigated.

AP Capstone Course Guides East Researchers

Students in Joseph Sagarese’s AP Capstone English at Smithtown High School East are currently working on reviewing and critiquing documents as they prepare to write their academic papers this year.

AP Capstone is a two-part, two-year program. As juniors, students enroll in the AP Seminar portion of the course. AP Seminar teaches students how to investigate real-world topics from multiple perspectives. Students carefully analyze information, write evidence-based arguments and effectively communicate them to others.

During the second year, the AP Capstone Research allows students to deeply explore an academic topic, problem or issue of individual interest. Through this exploration, students design, plan and conduct a yearlong, research-based investigation to address a research question. The course culminates in an academic paper of 4,000-5,000 words and a presentation with an oral defense.

HSE’s Foster Recognized as Scholar Artist

High School East student Gabriella Foster has received an Award of Merit for music as part of the 2020-2021 Scholar Artist Program. The Long Island Arts Alliance’s Scholar Artist program recognizes students who excel academically and in the areas of either music, visual arts, dance, theater or media arts. As one of 20 selected Award of Merit recipients from across Long Island, Foster was recognized in Newsday last month. She will also be celebrated at a reception in the spring at the Tilles Center for the Performing Arts.

East Students Craft Messages for Veterans

Students from High School East created cards and wrote thoughtful messages to veterans in honor of Veterans Day. The cards expressed gratitude for their service. In lieu of their usual Veterans Day art and essay contests, Genser Cona Elder Law asked students across Long Island to create cards or artwork to send to the veterans at the Long Island State Veterans Home. The 350 veterans who reside at the LISVH have been unable to visit with their families and friends and the cards will help bring them some joy during this time.

Four Student-Musicians Selected for NYSSMA

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Four students from the district have been selected to participate in New York State School Music Association’s All-State Music Festival. From High School East, Gabriela Foster has been chosen to play the violin in the symphony orchestra, while Christopher Konopka, a tenor, will be part of the mixed chorus. From High School West, Dominic Gibbons, a tenor, will be part of the mixed chorus, while Liam Reynolds was chosen to play jazz guitar in instrumental jazz. Although they won’t get to experience the regular, live All-State Music Festival in Rochester, New York, NYSSMA has put together a virtual summit for students and educators to participate in at the beginning of December.

Six East Seniors Named Commended Students

Six High School East seniors – Gianna Antonacci, Jason Dolowich, Lindsey Douglas, Dylan McCreesh, Krishna Palempalli and Frank Scagluso – have been named commended students in the 2021 National Merit Scholarship Program. Commended students are recognized for the exceptional academic promise demonstrated by their outstanding performance on the qualifying test used for program entry.

More than 1.5 million students took the PSAT last October and entered the National Merit Scholarship Program. Participants who scored at or above the commended student selection index score, but below their state or selection unit’s semifinalist selection index score, are recognized as commended students.

More Than 400 Smithtown Students Receive AP Recognition

The College Board has recognized 463 current seniors and 2020 graduated students from both High School East and High School West as Advanced Placement Scholars.
These awards, which are divided among several categories, were bestowed upon the students based on their exceptional achievement on the national exams. Some of the highlights include:
• 213 students qualified for the AP Scholar Award by receiving a score of 3 or higher on three or more exams.
• 77 students received the AP Scholar with Honor Award by earning an average grade of 3.25 on all AP exams taken and grades of 3 or higher on four or more of those exams.
• 145 students qualified for the AP Scholar with Distinction Award by earning an average grade of at least 3.5 on all AP exams taken and grades of 4 or higher on five or more of these exams.
• 28 students received the highest designation of National AP Scholar by earning an average grade of 4 or higher on all AP exams taken and grades of 4 or higher on eight or more of these exams.
AP courses completed with a score of 3 or higher on the final exam afford students the opportunity to earn college credit.

District Launches Intramural Sports Program

In an effort to keep its students engaged in sporting activities despite the current restrictions for student-athletes, the district has launched an intramural sports program for those in grades 6-12.

The six-week program will begin on Oct. 5 and run through Nov. 13 and is open to any students who wish to participate. The intramural sports program will be offered for most of the sports held during the fall season. At the high school level, sports include: girls and boys soccer, boys golf, football, field hockey, girls tennis and boys and girls cross-country, girls and boys volleyball. Middle school programs will include boys and girls soccer, field hockey, football, boys and girls cross-country and girls tennis.

According to Patrick Smith, coordinator of physical education, health, athletics and nurses, many of the coaches who were slated to head the fall sports teams will be overseeing the programs. “Students on a hybrid or fully remote program are eligible to participate,” Mr. Smith said. “This program will be a rewarding substitute for our usual interscholastic program.”

Mr. Smith added that the program will be run safely with social distancing requirements in place. The sports will focus on teamwork, skill development and conditioning and will not include any game play. More information can be found on the district’s athletic page at http://www.smithtown.k12.ny.us/departments/athletics.