Inside Islip Schools

Smiles and sunshine were out in abundance on the first day of school in the Islip School District on Sept. 7, as excited students returned to Islip High School, Islip Middle School, Maud S. Sherwood Elementary School, Commack Road Elementary School and Wing Elementary School.

Islip High School’s girls varsity soccer team won the 2023 New York State High School Girls Soccer Hall of Fame tournament on Sept. 10. Over 60 of the top teams in New York State from all six classifications were invited for the two-day weekend event, one of the country’s largest high school soccer tournaments. Islip’s Lady Bucs defeated two of the top-ranked teams in their classification over the weekend, coming back from a 2-0 deficit to defeat Nichols School by a score of 4-3 on Saturday, then defeating a top-ranked Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake team by 1-0 on Sunday morning, earning them the title of Hall of Fame tournament champs.

Commack Road Elementary School celebrated International Dot Day on Sept. 15, inspired by the classic book “The Dot” by Peter H. Reynolds. In Shannon Dignam’s third grade classroom, students read the book and then engaged in a variety of activities, including a writing activity describing a moment when they felt proud, reflecting the book’s character who feels proud at the end of the story, and using their creativity and imagination to transform colored dots into various items. The third graders then moved outside the classroom to design their own dots with chalk. Some students worked as a team to create a large dot, while others worked individually on their own. Each student received a certificate stating that they had “made their mark” on International Dot Day.

The Islip School District implemented dedicated weekly STEAM classes in its elementary schools for the 2023-2024 school year. In a recent lesson at Commack Road Elementary School, led by teacher Beth Fazio, students were broken up into pairs and challenged to build different types of cup towers. One challenge included not using their hands. Students at both Commack Road and Sherwood Elementary School will engage in many more exciting STEAM projects throughout the year.

A record number of ninth graders, accompanied by their parents and guardians, participated in Islip High School’s annual freshman orientation on Aug. 31. Eighty Buccaneer University mentors – student leaders in grades 10-12 – gathered with the school’s cheer team, building administrators and many teachers to welcome the 185 incoming freshmen and transfer students who attended. The event, organized by Assistant Principal Meghan Stern and school counselor and Buccaneer University adviser Nicole Hall, included a celebratory BBQ in one of the school’s courtyards.

Location: Administration Building - 215 Main Street, Islip, NY 11751
Phone: (631) 650-8200