Mills Pond Elementary School recognized Mahatma Gandhi’s birthday by engaging and promoting a week full of peaceful activities from Oct. 2 organized by the school’s Shanti Fund committee.

To start the week, each classroom took a pledge of nonviolence. During morning announcements, fourth-grade students read a peace quote and also displayed quotes on the easel in the lobby. On Oct. 2, all students were asked to bring in a special small rock to decorate with a peaceful message to be placed in the school’s rock garden.

Each class crafted a colored lantern, labeled with different words about what peace means to them on Oct. 3. Lanterns were displayed in each of the classes throughout the building. Activities on Oct. 4 included reading, analyzing and commenting on thoughts of peace leaders from around the world.  

On Oct. 5, Mills Pond students dressed in blue and white and participated in an outdoor peace walk together. There was also a run for peace during respective physical education classes. To close out the week, students dressed in Mills Pond spirit wear or peace symbols/words to show their school unity in standing together for peace. 

Dressed in red, white and blue, the students at Mills Pond Elementary School celebrated Constitution Day by signing classroom constitutions on Sept. 15. Each class pledged to follow a set of classroom rules and each member of the class – with a quill pen in hand – signed the constitution to uphold those rules throughout the school year.

Throughout the district, each of the schools remembered and recognized Sept. 11 by engaging in different observances and activities.

Many schools started the day with a moment of silence prior to morning announcements. At Great Hollow Middle School, the morning announcements throughout the week included relevant character education messages. Students at Accompsett Middle School displayed flags outside the building and Principal Paul McNeil delivered a message over the public announcement system to all students. 

Smithtown Elementary School held a moment of silence and spoke about the importance of honoring the bravery of those who help others, such as firefighters and police. At Dogwood Elementary School, fifth-graders read an article, held age-appropriate class discussions and wrote essays and poems on why they are proud to be an American. Dogwood fourth-grade students created a project on their heroes. The outside walkways and lawn of the St. James Elementary School were filled with flags placed by students at the start of the school day on 9/11.

High School East lessons examined 9/11 from different viewpoints. Some teachers explored the history and impact of 9/11 since most students were not alive when the event happened. Psychology classes examined the toll traumatic events like 9/11 can have on a country and its people. Government classes assessed the impact 9/11 had on civil liberties in the United States. Some history courses explored the variety of changes that took place in the aftermath of the attacks. Furthermore, they examined the lessons that can be learned from 9/11. Some teachers chose to discuss how we could find hope in despair by choosing to be of service to the community in which they live.

Smithtown Central School District welcomed back students and staff on Sept. 7 to kick off the 2017-2018 school year. The first day of school was bustling with activity. Check out our slideshow to see some first day of school highlights.