It was lights, camera, action for Family Literacy Night at Deauville Gardens West Elementary School on Nov. 30. Students came dressed in their Hollywood best attire as they walked the red carpet for their grand entrance to the school building.

In the classroom, the literacy component featured readalouds by award-winning authors including “Knuffle Bunny” by Mo Willems for kindergarten through second graders and “Amelia and Eleanor Go for a Ride” by Pam Munoz Ryan for grades three through five.

The students played literacy games tied into their Fundations lessons including some of their trick words. There was also a math component tied into the night where students designed their own paper airplanes and measured their distance. Each student went home with a popcorn container full of games and book of their own.

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Date Added: 12/4/2023

Copiague School District honored the memory of Walter G. O’Connell Copiague High School student Carmyne Payton during the first Carmyne Payton Classic varsity basketball game on Nov. 29. Administrators, teachers, staff and students came together to celebrate the life of Carmyne, who tragically passed away two years while trying out for the varsity basketball team. The Copiague basketball team and coaching staff wore the “Love Big” shirts in his honor as well. Bracelets and snacks were on sale during the event to raise money for scholarships that will be presented to a varsity female and varsity male basketball player.

Date Added: 12/4/2023

Second graders in Ms. Kelly’s class at Deauville Gardens East Elementary School learned how to publish their writing in Google Docs. The students wrote “I Am” poems using character traits to describe themselves. They wrote about their hopes, dreams, fears and favorite activities. They used Google Docs to type, edit and finally publish their work for display.

Date Added: 12/7/2023

Copiague Middle School and Walter G. O’Connell Copiague High School Spanish language students recently participated in the Long Island Museum in Stony Brook’s virtual field trip. The trip highlighted the works of art from Latinx community members. The exhibition “SOMOS/We Are: Latinx Artists of Long Island” featured more than 80 artists.

Some highlights from the virtual trip included a viewing of Ofrenda, which represented the celebration of the Day of the Dead and incorporated the history behind the person who created the Ofrenda. In addition, students were able to view Neon Bunny (Bad Bunny), a portrait of the artist Bad Bunny created with spray paint, acrylic and gold foil on canvas.

Spanish teachers Evelin Chavez and Karla Umanzor felt that one of the most important parts for their students during the virtual trip was the presentation of the Caja de Memoria Viva III. This was a living memory box dedicated to a survivor of Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico. In class, students had learned about Hurricane Maria and the devastation that it caused in Puerto Rico. Through this artwork, students could see the effects of the hurricane, the history behind the woman presented in the box and the objects that people preserved during and after the hurricane.

This field trip was incorporated into the students’ family tree, where they identified and described one tradition or celebration they have with their own families. Like the art pieces viewed, students used images, pictures and music to represent their traditions.

Date Added: 12/5/2023

Prior to the Thanksgiving break, Ms. Steiner and Mr. Schneider’s classes at Deauville Gardens West Elementary School participated in Thanksgiving centers. In the math center, students practiced their number identification skills and worked together to build a turkey. Making their own Play-Doh, students practiced following a sequence of events using first, next, then, last visuals. Students also honed their fine motor grasps as well as color name and recognition skills. Each student made a thankful chain where they wrote something they were thankful for.

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Date Added: 12/4/2023