Mahopac Central School District

News & Headlines

• Exploring Stories at Lakeview's "Book Tasting"

  The scent of hot chocolate wafted from Robin Ambrosi’s classroom as her students filed in for a special lesson. The class was all about reading, but the Lakeview fourth graders were surprised by what their teacher had in store.

  Students were greeted by jazzy coffee shop music and desks covered with “menus” and small stacks of books. Ambrosi welcomed her students to the aptly named “Starbooks” before she explained the lesson.

  All of the students were instructed to sit at their assigned tables and look at the book in front of them. Each looked at the book’s title, then the text on the back cover, and then began reading the first chapter. They read for six minutes before taking a few notes about their book in the “menus” that had been provided to them. Students wrote the name of the book that they read so that they could find it again if they were interested reading it.

  Ambrosi, wearing a barista apron, called each table up for some hot chocolate to enjoy while they read. Some students were already so engrossed in their reading however, that they completely missed the first call. After six minutes was up, Ambrosi got all of her students’ attention and told them to finish writing about their first book and to move on to the next table, where another book awaited them.

  Once each student had traveled to their next seat, hot chocolate in hand, the process began all over again: front cover, back cover, first chapter.  Principal Jennifer Pontillo stopped by as an added treat, reading part of one of her favorite stories, “Maniac Magee” by Jerry Spinelli. She, told the fourth graders that not every book could be judged by just its cover.

  Just as the fourth graders were really getting into their next books, they wrote down what they thought and then went off to the next table. The exercise served to foster a sense of literary exploration in the fourth graders and expose them to many different stories that they might not have sought out on their own.

  Given that several students had to be reminded repeatedly that they needed to leave one of their books behind to move on to the next table, it’s safe to say that this “book tasting” was a success.

  District News & Headlines

• Seniors Honored for Academic Achievements

  Brett Bergerson and Isabella Valle, best friends since second grade, have shared many milestones. Now the two Mahopac High School seniors are both being honored for their academic achievements.

  Bergerson has been named a Commended Student by the National Merit Scholarship Program, while Valle received the National Hispanic Recognition Award from the College Board. Both students credited the outstanding education provided by Mahopac schools with enabling their success.

  “Education is definitely cumulative,” Bergerson said as she cited teachers who had inspired and nurtured her from her time at Fulmar Road Elementary School all the way through to her time at Mahopac High School. “Fulmar fostered a love of learning in a familial environment that allowed us to grow,” she said.

  Valle and Bergerson both recalled a Living Environment class they had taken during middle school. Valle said that the class “made science fun,” and helped plant the seeds that have since developed into an interest in biophysics.

  “There are a wide range of opportunities available in Mahopac Schools,” Bergerson said, “and there are teachers who are willing to help and support you at all levels.”

  When asked about the challenges that they had to overcome, Valle spoke about the Covid-19 pandemic, which began during their first year in high school, and how the school district helped them to survive and thrive throughout it.

  “Accommodations like the Chromebooks saved us during the pandemic,” Valle said, “by allowing us to stay connected to our classes and to stay in touch with each other.”

  As the saying goes, it takes a village to raise a child. In Mahopac, dedicated teachers, innovative programming, and a supportive community all come together to create success stories like those of Bergerson and Valle.

  District News & Headlines

• Spirit Week Has Begun

  Mahopac High School is awash in color this week: blue for seniors, gold for juniors, white for sophomores, and black for freshmen. It’s all a part of Spirit Week.

  Spirit Week began Wednesday, with a “Country vs. Country Club” theme that saw some students dressed in cowboy hats while others donned sweater vests and other preppy attire. Thursday will be “Adam Sandler Day,” followed by the highly anticipated “Color Wars” on Friday. Monday’s theme is “Anything but a Backpack” and finally, Tuesday will be “Tropical Tuesday.”

  Spirit Week is just what it sounds like—a week of fun events designed to bring students and faculty together to celebrate Mahopac High School. To ensure that students would be engaged in Spirit Week, Ava Van Nortwick, executive senior president, said the senior class government sought to include students in planning and decision-making.

  With the school’s permission, the senior class government sent out forms so that students could vote on the themes of each day throughout the week. Of all of the days Van Nortwick said she was most looking forward to “Anything but a Backpack Day,” where students must use containers, other than backpacks, to carry their books and school supplies.

  Van Nortwick said there was much enthusiasm for a Spirit Week given the remote learning of recent years. Speaking personally, Van Nortwick said, “I was a freshman and then suddenly we were juniors.” For most of the students in the high school, she said, this was likely their first-ever full Spirit Week.

  Van Nortwick said Spirit Week was important “because everyone participates and has fun doing it, especially since it’s only the beginning of the year. Bringing the student body together to do something other than school work really helps everyone feel more welcome and unified.”

  District News & Headlines

• Back to Band Class

  As soon as the fifth period bell rang, discordant tunes and off key notes began to emanate from Mahopac Middle School’s band room.

  Despite commanding sections of booming percussion and brass, Michael Teglasi spoke softly to the students who quieted while he described the piece they would be playing. Teglasi challenged the eighth graders to play a new, difficult song, while reassuring them that “This is the place to fail, this is the place to make mistakes.”

  The piece that the students played was called “Afterburn” and the first attempt was a work in progress.

  Growing as a musician has not been easy during the past two years as students had few opportunities to play their instruments, and fewer still to play with their peers. Many students said they were out of practice, and some were timid about playing the piece.

  After the first attempt, one student spoke up, saying that she could not play the piece because she was not able to keep up. Teglasi replied, “You’re going to try, that’s what we do here.”

  Before the next attempt, Teglasi played a recording of “Afterburn” so the students could hear professional musicians playing the piece.

  It takes practice to master any skill, and in the case of musical instruments, the learning process is very audible. Missed notes and out-of-tune attempts, frustrated some students but the group’s performance improved with each effort.

  To help the students improve their individual performances, Teglasi had the band play shorter sections of “Afterburn.” By the end of the class, the students were playing the piece far better than at the beginning.

  “There’s no way we would have been able to do this at the beginning of last year,” Teglasi said.

  Not bad for day one.

  District News & Headlines

• Forming Friendships at Fulmar Road

  With a new school year underway, students and teachers are beginning to settle into their routines. An important aspect of this time of year is students beginning to forge relationships with one another and their teachers. Meeting new people is challenging, even for adults, so Fulmar Road Elementary sought to help their students over this social hurdle with a simple solution.

  “What’s your name?” It’s a simple question, but sometimes hard to ask. This is why Fulmar Road Elementary provided all of their students with name tags on Tuesday and asked them to write down their names. Every student then had one fewer question to ask to get to know their future friends. Teachers and staff even got in on the introductory fun, wearing their own name tags and going out of their way to greet students.

  While students got to know each other’s names through their name tags, teachers also tried to facilitate the students’ budding relationships. When third-grade students from Susan Chrisman and Stacey DiLullo’s classes went to Physical Education with Jamie Davenport and Ross Fumusa in the afternoon, their teachers took them outside. The students were told that they would be playing a game called “Dinosaur Tag.” Given that the game had both the words “Dinosaur” and “Tag” in its name, the students were immediately interested.

  The students were divided up into six teams and were told that they needed to run across the field, one at a time, collect a bean bag, or “dinosaur egg,” and bring it back to their team. The task would have been easy if there weren’t two students in the way, brandishing pool noodles with which to tag runners. If a runner got tagged, they had to return to their team empty handed.

  The competition got fierce when one student was chased by their pool noodle-wielding peer all the way from the left side of the field to the right, only to turned around and see that they would need to make the entire return journey in order to score. Each team triumphantly cheered their teammates’ names and consoled those who were tagged.

  The game served as a good way to get some energy out, but also as an opportunity for the third graders to use the names of their classmates and begin to build new relationships for the school year and beyond.

  District News & Headlines

• A Lesson From an Author

  When Roseanne Hall’s fifth grade class heard that they would be having a lesson with Sarah Weeks—bestselling author of “Pie,” “Save Me a Seat” and “So B. It” —the students were excited to get started.

  In events organized by PTO Co-President Susan Downey, Weeks has been video calling into fourth and fifth grade classes to provide students with tips and lessons on writing. Many of Hall's fifth graders are excited to write but struggle to find the spark to start their stories, so the class was all ears when Weeks introduced that topic. Her answer, however, wasn’t quite what they were expecting.

  Weeks told the students that in order to find something to start writing about, they only needed to look up from their notebooks. The class was presented with an image that Weeks had taken of the front of an abandoned bowling ball; visible within the gripping holes of the ball was a spider web.

  Weeks told students that when she saw the bowling ball, she felt compelled to take a picture of it and to use it as a basis for writing. She speculated as to what kind of spider might make its home in such an odd place. From there, all of the details and characters and story flowed. The lesson was simple: all that the students need to do to start writing is to take a close look at the world around them.

  The next image to go up on the smartboard was of cookies shaped like animals on a baking sheet. That was when Weeks handed the reins over to the students and told them that they should search for inspiration in the image and write a story from the perspective of one of the cookies with the added challenge of not explicitly stating which cookie each student had chosen.

  With only five minutes before they would start to share their writing, the room hummed with the sounds of scratching pencils and turning pages. Every student focused in on their unique cookie and perspective. Once time was up, students began to share their stories with Weeks and their peers.

  While only a brave few students raised their hands initially, after the first volunteer, almost every student in the class wanted to share their work. The time went by quickly and there was too much enthusiasm for writing for everyone to be able to share their pieces with Weeks.

  It seems that the author’s lesson had the desired effect.

  Sarah Weeks will continue to speak with students in Austin road's fourth and fifth grade classes in the coming weeks.

  District News & Headlines

• It All Starts with Dots and Lines

  How do you express yourself through art? Start small.

  That was the lesson that Chris Williams, Austin Road Elementary’s new art teacher, shared with kindergartners Wednesday. Williams began the class by reading “The Dot” by Peter H. Reynolds, a picture book that describes the struggle of Vashti, a student who finds it hard to express herself through art. Eventually, Vashti’s teacher convinces her to start with a simple dot and then to sign the paper, helping her take ownership of her work.

  One dot became two, small dots became large dots and all sorts of colors were used and she even made an inverted dot by surrounding the blank space with other dots. Vashti made all sorts of images from dots and found that she could make bigger images from smaller, easier shapes. While showing off her art, Vashti gets to take on the role of teacher for another student who is just as nervous as she was.

  While art class isn’t necessarily the place that you would normally expect to find a read aloud, the story was the foundation of the lesson and the kindergarteners easily found their groove drawing with lines and dots with all sorts of colors and techniques. When quizzed, some students had a very clear idea of the images that they were creating, like Jack, who pointed to the concentric lines on his page and declared, “This is the outer core and the inner core of the Earth!”

  Williams also took the time to explain that the author of The Dot also illustrated it. The students couldn’t believe that someone could write and illustrate. Later, this prompted a student named Teagan to claim that she was going to grow up to be “an artist and a principal!”

  By the end of the lesson, (and the end of several paint sticks), some students had to be pulled away from the art that they were creating. In stacking so many dots and lines on top of one another, the kindergarten students learned an important lesson: lots of small, simple skills build into more complicated and difficult ones over time.

  The message was clear, in order to become good at something, you have to start small.

  District News & Headlines

• Kindergarten Read Aloud

  Children are like sponges, they’ll pick up all sorts of things in their environment. Elementary school age students love to see the adults in their lives take time out of their day to involve them. Role models who set a positive example to follow are a critical part of childhood development, and children will often take words and behaviors directly from the adults around them. If mimicry is the sincerest form of flattery, then that makes kindergarteners the compliment kings.

  So when the principal of Lakeview Elementary School came down to Mrs. Jennifer Borst’s kindergarten class to read to the students, the entire class was listening. Principals have a lot of different responsibilities and classes to attend to, so when Principal Jen Pontillo came into this particular kindergarten classroom in person, the students were certainly surprised.

  She immediately captured their attention when she announced that she was going to read them a story called, “It’s Hard to Be Five.” In an instant, the energetic kindergarteners were hypnotized; seating quickly on the carpet they began to listen intently.

  “It’s Hard to Be Five” discusses the many trials and tribulations of being a 5-year-old, such as starting school and having to listen to adults. The magic of the lesson was evident each time she turned the book to show the class; all the students sat up to try and read the text on the page. They were all so interested in reading, you would have thought that you were in a room full of book worms!

  The visit concluded with a conversation concerning the many ups and downs of being a 5-year-old. At the request of a student named Jojo, the conversation shifted to the exceedingly important topic of hedgehogs and what exactly they look like. When Mrs. Jennifer Borst put up an image of the prickly animal on the screen, there was a marked division among the class about the nuanced differences between hedgehogs and porcupines.

  Today was a good day in kindergarten.

  September 13th, 2022

  District News & Headlines

• Looping Team Field Day

  Just because summer vacation is over doesn’t mean that the fun has to end! This was the theme of the day for eighth grade students of Mahopac Middle School on a break from classes for fun and physical exercise during a field day hosted by the Loop Team teachers.

  As the school year spools up and students return to classes, the eighth grade students who are a part of the Loop Team have already started working hard on a brand new year of curriculum. Many are sad to leave the summer behind, but as long as the weather is still nice, they’ll take any chance to get outside and be active with their classmates.

  And active they were. Colorful bags flew during the beanbag toss, students scrambled to pass around a shirt during the T-shirt race, and the morning games culminated in a high intensity egg race.

  Mr. Hafemann’s pink team began with a strong showing as their frontrunner took off from the starting line while carefully balancing his egg on a spoon. Things were going well for him right up until the moment that he dropped his egg. Things got heated as the race approached its conclusion, and multiple teams found themselves in close competition for first place. The sidelines quickly became a cacophony of cheers, with each team yelling at their final egg runner, saying, “GO! HURRY! YOU’RE ALMOST THERE!” and, of course, “DON’T DROP IT!”

  Later that day, the teams returned for a final series of competitions, including a delicate game of grapefruit golf, a balloon race, and a final round in which teams selected their 10 best sled pullers to haul Mr. May across the field at top speed in a snow sled. The competition was fierce, but in the end only one team could be crowned victorious.

  During the award ceremony, it was revealed which team had scored the most points over the course of the day. In a moment of anticipation shared by the first and second place teams, all held their breaths while they awaited the big reveal. Congratulations to Ms. Pacheco’s green team for winning the day, and well done to all of the students who participated.

  After a good day of running around and being active, students grabbed some snacks and water, posed for a picture, and made their way back up the path toward their classes. School has begun, and while students will spend most of their time exercising their minds, there is still time to get out and get active.

  September 8th, 2022

  District News & Headlines

• Transitions Day!

  September 2nd, 2022

  A new generation of MCSD kindergarteners, sixth graders, and ninth graders are being welcomed into new school buildings by their peers and teachers. Assemblies, special guest speakers, and even scavenger hunts are the order of the day, as students learn their way around the schools that they’ll be learning in for years to come.

  Transitions Day is an opportunity for students to explore their new buildings and meet their teachers, as well as get a head start on the school year in their new environment.

  Sixth grade students sat together in the middle school gym to hear from faculty and administrators about what they could expect in this new chapter of their academic lives. Their principal, Tom Cozzocrea, issued a call to action, challenging students to “take ownership” of their academics and social life, and he assured them that every teacher and staff member would be there to help them take this next big step forward.

  Addressing the sixth graders, Superintendent Tona asked the students if they were excited for their first day. Naturally, there were many raised hands, but just as many rose when she asked if anyone was nervous. The superintendent reassured the students and confided that she also felt nervous, saying, “I had the jitters this morning too!”

  As a new class entered the middle school, incoming ninth graders spent some time roaming the halls of Mahopac High School on a scavenger hunt. Each student searched for their own classrooms as well as all of the places of interest around the building. For their last stop, each of the new freshmen received a cold and sweet ice cream reward!

  While Mahopac’s newest middle and high school students acclimated to their new environments, the district’s youngest scholars arrived at their elementary schools. While the older students may have had to get used to some changes, this will be many of these kindergarteners’ first foray into school!

  Between scavenger hunts, assemblies, and back-to-school jitters, it’s certainly been quite a day for all of the transitions students in the MCSD, but if the smiles and giggling are anything to go by, they’re taking it in stride!

  District News & Headlines

• Welcome Families to the 2022-23 School Year!

  Dear Mahopac Families,

  Welcome to the 2022-2023 school year! All of the staff in the Mahopac Central School District have been busy getting ready for our students’ arrival in September. In order to ensure a smooth transition for our students entering a new school this year, we have established the following schedule:

  • Tuesday, September 6, 2022:  Transition Day- Students in Kindergarten, Grade 6, and Grade 9 will report to school for a full day
  • Wednesday, September 7, 2022:  All students will report to school

  Please access our 2022-2023 Calendar for dates that school is in session. Later this week, the full listing of events in all of our schools will be posted on our website. 

  As I complete my second month as superintendent of schools, I cannot wait to see our students in action in the classroom and while they participate in the many activities that the Mahopac Central School District has to offer. I have enjoyed meeting many members of our beautiful community throughout the summer and look forward to meeting everyone during school and community events. Thank you to those who have joined me at the summer Community Connections meetings. Please consider attending a future Community Connections meeting for informal conversation and refreshments. The next meeting will be on September 22, 2022 and you can access the full schedule here: Community Connections with Our Superintendent.

  Please join me in welcoming Christina Howe, our interim assistant superintendent for business, who has replaced Sandra Clohessy. Also, please welcome Karen Gatto, our interim director of special education, who has replaced Dr. Greg Stowell. Both Ms. Howe and Ms. Gatto are wonderful additions to Mahopac with many years of experience and expertise in their fields.

  Thanks to the support of the Mahopac community, the Capital Project is providing for many wonderful and needed improvements throughout the school district. Summer work is concluding in time for our first day of school. This work included a renovation to the Middle School parking lot and improvements to the District’s water supply. Renovation to the libraries at Austin Road and Fulmar Road has begun and will be ongoing throughout the fall. Also in progress is the installation of an elevator at Fulmar Road and a turf field at the Middle School. Additional information about completed and future work related to the Capital Project can be found here: Capital Project Information.

  The New York State Department of Health and the New York State Education Department released Operational Guidance for K - 12 Schools to Support Safe in-Person Learning. This information is helpful to us as it supports our ability to continue to return to normalcy after the pandemic. Please find information for families here: What Parents/Caregivers Should Know about COVID Mitigation Strategies for the 2022-2023 School Year.

  Please be aware that the Federal program providing free lunch to all students has ended. Should you wish to apply for free or reduced lunch for your child, please find the applications and information on our District website or through this link: Mahopac Food Services information.  For 2022-2023, school lunch will cost $2.35 in our elementary schools and $2.45 in our middle school and high school.

  I am honored to be able to work collaboratively with our families, staff, and community to support the Mahopac culture of academic, social, and emotional excellence for every child. I hope that you and your family enjoy the remaining days of summer. I look forward to welcoming all of our students back to school in September and celebrating their accomplishments throughout the school year!

  Sincerely,

  Christine Tona
  Superintendent of Schools

  District News & Headlines

• Mahopac Board of Education Names President and Vice President

  Ben DiLullo, a 25-year resident of Mahopac, will serve as Mahopac Board of Education President for the 2022-2023 school year, while Adam Savino continues in the role of vice president.

  DiLullo, who earned his bachelor’s degree in Economics from Columbia University and his master’s degree in Business Administration from New York University, works in project management and contract development for a major pharmaceutical company. He has been active in Mahopac Schools for several years, having served as treasurer and then president of the Special Education Parent Teacher Organization.

  DiLullo said he looked forward to his tenure as board president because he “wants to help lead the district to the next level in a post COVID time.” At the top of his priority list is supporting the newly appointed superintendent, Christine A. Tona.

  “I want to provide her with all the support she needs because if she is successful, our children will be successful,” said DiLullo, adding that he has tremendous confidence in Tona’s ability.

  He said he also hopes to use his management expertise to make board meetings more efficient and more effective, and looks forward to advancing civic readiness and environmental initiatives in the district.

  “I believe in the power of a good team,” he said. “The most important thing is always the student. What can I do to help the student?”

  Savino, who has worked in the utility industry for nearly 30 years, is also a longtime resident, having been raised in Mahopac. The father of two was elected to the board in June 2019, having served as co-president of the Lakeview PTO for two years. 

  He is active in the community, notably as member of the Mahopac Volunteer Fire Department and Chairman of the Board of Fire Commissioners. He is a huge fan of youth sports and enjoys his role as a volunteer soccer coach. As a Board of Education member, Savino played a key role in the superintendent search and in the passage of the capital projects bond.

  “One of the key issues for a school board is to create a long-term vision that maps a course for students to reach their full potential,” said Savino. “That means providing all of the necessary opportunities for students, empowering the staff and providing leadership.”

  District News & Headlines

• Mahopac High School Graduation

  In a ceremony that was part celebration and part goodbye, Mahopac High School graduated 327 students on Friday evening and wished retiring School Superintendent Anthony DiCarlo well in his retirement.  

  The graduation had been rescheduled to Friday because of weather and as graduates walked down the turf field, passing under an enormous American flag that waved in a summer breeze, bleachers full of family and friends erupted in cheers. 

  High School Principal Matt Lawrence  took to the podium and noted that 283 members of the Class of 2022 are going on to a two or four year college, 23 plan to work, 14 will take a gap year and seven are enlisting in the military.

  “You were the class to lead us back,” Dr. Lawrence said. “You were able to shake off the remnants of the last year and a half. You ran clubs, you played sports, you made music. You owned Mahopac High School. You have strong core values and that makes strong leaders. I want to say two words to you: “Go Pac!” 

  Salutatorian Kaylie Ann Hammond spoke about a high school career that went from in-person classes to studying online to returning with a lot of contact tracing. 

  Valedictorian Matteo Perillo noted there were many statistics of which his class could be proud, but that education in Mahopac High was about more than numbers, it was about heart and values. 

  Superintendent DiCarlo said he was honored to have served the Mahopac Central School District. 

  Later Dr. Lawrence returned to the podium and spoke about all that DiCarlo accomplished in his four and half years as superintendent. 

  “We finally have college courses in every area of the curriculum,” Dr. Lawrence said. “We now have a STEM lab and updated science classes and a music wing and you should see our library/media center. We have been named one of America’s best schools. Mr. DiCarlo, that’s what happens when leadership works with leadership.”

  District News & Headlines

• Administrator for a Day

  Not every teenager would jump at the chance to be a school district administrator for a day, but Mahopac High School junior Kevin Whitmarsh did just that when he won a raffle hosted by the Mahopac Lions/Leo’s fundraiser for their Relay for Life team.

  The prize was to spend the day trailing Michael Tromblee, Mahopac’s Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum, Instruction and Professional Learning. Tromblee serves as co-advisor to the Leo’s Club and Kevin is a member of the Leo’s.  

  "It was a great day," Tromblee said. "I think Kevin learned a lot. The more exposure to careers you can get at a young age, the better equipped you will be to decide what direction to take in your life."

  A week before the school year ended, Kevin visited Tromblee's office in the Mahopac Falls School for a discussion on what innovations students might like to see in classrooms. Then he participated in beta testing of new materials. Later he helped fly a drone over the Falls School athletic fields with Jay Zides, the District’s Secondary Educational Technology Specialist. Zides happens to be a certified drone pilot.

  Kevin also got to participate in a discussion on district professional learning activities, take a tour of the bus garage and read a book to Country Knolls Preschoolers. 

  District News & Headlines

• Mahopac Seniors Focus on Career with Internships

  When Gabby Cazzari started her senior year internship at the Yorktown Center for Specialty Surgeries, she was sure of one thing: she did not want to see any blood. 

  She was interested in medical technology, not nursing, she said. 

  “She was adamant,” said Bernadette Lingardo, the English teacher and coordinator of the WISE program at Mahopac High School. “I’m so excited that after spending a semester interning in a medical environment, she now wants to be a nurse.”  

  WISE, or WISE Individualized Senior Experience, gives Mahopac seniors the chance to intern in a business they want to learn more about. The program, which has been in place in Mahopac High School since 1997, accepted 30 students this year. They interned in all sorts of different workplaces – from architecture firms to police departments, film production companies to veterinary offices, elementary schools to design shops. A Mahopac High School graduate runs the film production company that hosted the intern. 

  “In the first semester we introduce goals and objectives,” Lingardo said. “The students do research, write cover letters and visit sites where they might want to intern. In the second semester they go to the site.”

  It is a yearlong process that begins with an application in 11th grade and ends when each student delivers a presentation about their experience to other students, teachers and parents. 

  “The presentation is the culminating activity,” Lingardo said during the weeks-long presentation period at the end of May. “They worked hard to get to this place.” 

  In Gabby’s presentation she talked about how much she had learned from the experience. 

  “I wanted to experience a medical environment and figure out my future career,” Gabby said. “WISE made a huge impact on me. I walked into WISE not wanting to even see blood. Now I watch bunions getting cut off and see people getting cataracts removed, and I think it’s really interesting.”  

  District News & Headlines

• Gardening Across The Curriculum

  When the fifth graders in Beth Doré’s class start to garden, they learn about more than getting their hands dirty. 

  Doré, who has been the garden coordinator at Austin Road Elementary School for 1o years, turns gardening into an opportunity for hands-on learning and incorporates most subjects in the curriculum into the experience. 

  “The students start by writing a story we call “Hello Garden,” Doré said. “It's about using your five senses in the garden. Then they learn about plant parts for science, distances and measuring for math and healthy eating for health and nutrition.”  

  Along the way, she works some history and geography into the lessons. It is a lot to pack into a small plot of land, but somehow she manages to plant the seeds of learning along with the tomatoes, peppers, broccoli, herbs and flowers that grow in abundance.

  On a recent morning, the students harvested the bounty. They washed, dried and prepared it into a salad before serving it to their schoolmates. To them, it seemed, the gardening experience was all about the fun. 

  “We planted everything in the spring,” said Aidan, who is 11. “Now we’re going to harvest chives and lettuce and Swiss chard.” 

  Doré taught her class to test the soil, make the compost, fill the beds and lay the irrigation system.

  “They do all the behind the scenes work, then the other fifth grade classes get a chance to do the planting and all the kids get a chance to harvest,” she said. 

  When Lisa Coen’s fifth graders came out for their turn at harvesting, Sophia, a 10-year-old in Doré’s class, explained the right way to harvest lettuce. 

  “It grows from the middle, so you take the leaves from the outside first,” Sophia said. “You go from the outside to the inside.”  

  Then she stood back and smiled as the other students picked lettuce leaves for their own salad. 

  “The best part of this is that the students feel so proud,” Doré said. 

  District News & Headlines

• Farm Animals Visit Lakeview

  Some teachers introduce their students to fish or amphibians to teach them science, but Arielle Goldstein, a special education teacher at Lakeview Elementary School in Mahopac, brought a bunch of mini farm animals from her home to teach her students about animal care.  

  “I grew up working at Muscoot Farm in Somers,” said Goldstein. “I think it is so great to expose kids to animals that they would not normally see.”

  A year ago, Goldstein and her fiance, Dan Honovich, who is a veterinarian, bought a farm in Patterson and started stocking it with dwarf goats, mini donkeys, mini cows and micro cows. They now have a collection of 30 animals at their farm, Ridge Ranch. 

  On a recent sunny morning the couple brought a few of the small farm animals to Lakeview for all of the second graders to see. 

  Samantha, 8, led a mini donkey named Caz on leash as a group of her classmates gathered round. Though only second graders, the children towered over Caz, who only stood as tall as their waists. 

  “My uncle’s dog is bigger than this donkey,” Samantha said. “She’s so small.” 

  Caz, who likes having her cheeks scratched, didn’t mind the children fussing over her. One boy, Sammy, played with the donkey’s mane and shaped it into a mohawk, but the animal didn’t seem to notice.

  “They are very gentle creatures,” Honovich said. “They are great with children.” 

  Goldstein hopes to make the farm animal visit an annual event.

  District News & Headlines

• Mahopac Senior Athletes Saluted

  Athletes, coaches, families and friends gathered on the Mahopac High School Field on Wednesday evening for the Senior Athletic Awards Ceremony. 

  “This is a great night. It’s not only a chance to celebrate our athletes, but also to celebrate the programs, coaches and teams that helped them develop their talents,” said School Board President Michael Mongon. “If it takes a village to raise a child, it takes a community to create an athlete. Here in Mahopac, we make sure our athletes work just as hard on their academic skills as their sports, and that they have a strong sense of teamwork and fair play.” 

  Then Mongon turned the microphone over to School Superintendent Anthony Dicarlo. 

  “Athletes, you do us proud,” DiCarlo said.“The Board and I salute you for your scholastic achievements, your athletic achievements and your community service. You have grown in every aspect of your lives. You are, indeed, a credit to your high school, your parents and yourselves.”

  Before the awards were presented, the names of 16 seniors who were named All-League for spring sports and seven seniors who were named All-Section, were read to the crowd.

  These included: 

  All-League Spring – Seniors 2022

  Women’s Lacrosse
  • Ava Jennings
  • Avery Przymylski
  • Grace Witt
  • Nicole Panny
  • Audrey Colucci
  • Ally Savino
  • Mia DelBene

  Softball
  • Gabby Marino
  • Mia Lanter
  • Ava Lichtenberger

  Baseball
  • Joey Koch
  • Conor Watts

  Track & Field 
  • Kaylie Ann Hammond

  Men’s Lacrosse
  • Sean Massett
  • Michael Harney
  • Chris Evans

  All-Section Spring – Seniors 2022

  Women’s Lacrosse
  • Ava Jennings
  • Avery Przymylski

  Softball
  • Gabby Marino
  • Ava Lichtenberger

  Baseball
  • Joey Koch

  Men’s Lacrosse
  • Sean Massett
  • Michael Harney

  District News & Headlines

• Mahopac Musicians Shine In Competition

  It was a clean sweep for Mahopac High School at this year’s Music in the Parks competition in Massachusetts.

  All five ensembles from the high school’s well-regarded music department won awards and two of the groups  — the Symphonic Band and the Sinfonietta  – took home the biggest awards of the day. 

  The competition, held at Westfield State University in May, featured 23 ensembles from high schools throughout the Northeast. It was followed by a trip to Six Flags New England, where the adjudicators announced the winners. 

  Mahopac ensembles received the following:  

  • Sinfonietta – Superior Rating, First Place, Best Overall Orchestra. Mahopac’s Sinfonietta received the highest score in the entire competition. 

  • Symphonic Band – Superior Rating, First Place, Best Overall Band of the Day

  • Wind Ensemble – Superior Rating, First Place

  • Chorus – Excellent Rating, Second Place 

  • Philharmonic Orchestra – Excellent Rating, Second Place 

  “Students performed extremely well that day,” said Band Director Rich Williams. “They weren’t expecting these results because they are very aware of what goes into a good musical performance and they hold themselves to a high standard.”  

  The Mahopac Central School District is known for its outstanding performing arts programs. Mahopac is regularly cited as one of the best communities for music education by the NAMM Foundation. 

  Williams credits hard work through daily rehearsals and individual practices, a commitment to excellence and the school district offering students many opportunities to perform.

  Judges in the Music In the Parks competition rated performances by assigning points in each of five categories – tone, intonation, rhythm, technique and musicality. 

  District News & Headlines