To help spread some smiles to the residents of the St. James Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center across the street from their school, fifth graders from Mills Pond Elementary School went trick-or-treating on Halloween. Dressed in their most creative Halloween costumes, the students received candy from the residents, many of whom dressed up to hand out candy as well. 

Second grade students in Kimberly Passmonte’s class teamed up with their buddy fifth graders in Seth Paster’s class at Mills Pond Elementary School for some hands-on math lessons with pumpkins on Oct. 25. Both the fifth and second graders worked together to estimate the weight, circumference and number of seeds for a pumpkin in cooperative learning groups. They then used tape measures, scales and counting skills to discover the actual numbers.  

To celebrate New York State School Board Recognition Week from Oct. 21-25, the Smithtown Central School District came together to show their appreciation for their board of education during the Oct. 22 meeting.

To kick off the meeting, the High School East select choral group sang “The Star-Spangled Banner.” Smithtown Elementary School’s ENL also serenaded the board members by singing a thank-you song in 11 different languages. Nesaquake Middle School’s select chorus also showcased their skills by singing “I Can’t Help Falling in Love with You.”

Dogwood Elementary School’s students created posters featuring the top 10 things they love about the district. Mt. Pleasant Elementary School students created a tree of appreciation to present to the board featuring every student’s fingerprints.

Tackan Elementary School students purchased books at its recent book fair and donated them back to the school’s library in the board’s name. Accompsett Elementary School’s fifth grade classes created a poster board of thanks, while Mills Pond Elementary presented each board member with a pen and flashlight because they light the way for the district. Student in Karen Dennis’s fourth grade class at St. James Elementary School created their own Flip Grid thank-you video for the board members.

Members of the National Junior Honor Society at Accompsett Middle School created a thank-you card and Great Hollow Middle School students gifted each board member with a drawstring bag. Members of the National Honor Society at High School West gave each board member a “Support Our Troops” shirt and Athletes Helping Athletes gifted them with Smithtown athletic spirit wear. Members of the Career and Technology Education department presented the board members with handcrafted wood nameplates for their board table, water bottles, tote bags, homemade muffins and pillowcases. To end the evening, the school’s central administration showed a thank-you video featuring faculty, staff and administrators from throughout the district. 

To celebrate National Writing Day, the fourth grade classes at Mills Pond Elementary School participated in different writing seminars on Oct. 21.

The fourth graders had the option to choose which seminar they would like to attend depending on their interests. The fourth grade teachers each presented a different writing workshop including: writing an alternate ending to a story, creating a sequel to a poem and creating adoption advertisements for one of the world’s top 10 ugliest animals. The students also had a chance to stop at the photo wall with a prop to take a picture and remember National Writing Day.

The 50-plus members of the S.I.T.E. (Spreading Inspiration Through Education) Club at High School East are hard at work inspiring a younger generation of students at Mills Pond Elementary.

Club co-presidents Hailey Sheridan and Haleigh Gahan, along with about a dozen members, visit with students at Mills Pond Elementary School each week to provide a hands-on lesson. At their weekly meeting, the students discuss project ideas. Working with the classroom teacher, the students develop an engaging lesson and visit the class to work alongside the students. One or two mentor S.I.T.E students work with the elementary students for small group instruction. At the end of the lesson, the groups present their work to the class. 

On Oct. 17, the students worked in fourth grade classes and presented a lesson based on the scientific method. The students conducted an experiment using Skittles and hot water and wrote a hypothesis, questions and observations. 

Elementary students celebrated Constitution Day on Sept. 17 by learning facts about the U.S. Constitution and applying them to their own classroom and school rules.

Dressed in red, white and blue, students at Mills Pond and Mt. Pleasant elementary schools learned about the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights. At Mills Pond Elementary School, each class worked together to set up their classroom rules and watched a short video on the U.S. Constitution. After penning their rules for the year, each member of the class signed their names to uphold their class constitution throughout the school year. The school’s computer lab was decorated and used as a meeting place for the signing. The rules and signatures will be prominently displayed in each classroom.  

At Mt. Pleasant Elementary School, fifth graders learned about the U.S. Constitution by watching a video and creating a graphic organizer.