Mahopac Central School District

News & Headlines

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  Public Survey: Capital Project Planning

  STRONGER SCHOOLS = STRONGER COMMUNITIES: We want to hear from you!

  Over the past several years, the Mahopac Central School District has taken great strides to improve and expand upon the academic program offered to students. Now, the district must also focus on the community’s investment in our school buildings to support our students for college and career-readiness.

  Capital improvements under consideration include:

  • STEAM & Science Instructional Upgrades
  • Music & Performing Arts Upgrades
  • Renovating Libraries to Multimedia Centers
  • Safety & Security Improvements
  • Athletic Fields & Facilities

  Together, we can develop a plan to address critical issues in our buildings to ensure a safe and strong learning environment for our students. The Board of Education and administration would like the community’s input as it begins to develop this plan.

  Please take a brief moment to take the survey, CLICK HERE   – this will be open for community input until Friday, December 14.

  https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/MahopacSchools

  District News & Headlines

• Lakeview 5th Graders Pop-Up Shop for Smile Train

  Lakeview Elementary School’s cafeteria was transformed into a pop-up shop with homemade and donated items by Mary Kurtz’s fifth grade class on November 20th.  As these 10 year olds were talking up their hand-crafted keychains, stress balls, slime, and stress balls to sell to fellow students, they also delivered a compelling message why to support their efforts.

  Kurtz’s class recently read an article in Storyworks, a Scholastic online reading platform, about a charity, Smile Train, which provides corrective surgery across the globe for improvised children with cleft lips and palates.   The class was moved by the organization and collectively decided on a way to help.

  Their pop-up shop raised $805 which provides three corrective surgeries for fellow children.  For more information about Smile Train, and to make donation, go to www.smiletrain.org.

  District News & Headlines

• Coach DiSanto hits 400 wins

  Mahopac High School Varsity Wrestling Coach Dennis DiSanto attained his 400th win as a Section I wresting coach on November 30 against  Ichabod Crane High School in Valatie, NY (71-12.)   DiSanto  is currently ranked number two  on the All Time list  and may very well reach the number one spot by the end of the season.

  District News & Headlines

• MHS Weather Station

  Real time weather information for the community and student curriculum

  Located on top of the Mahopac High School is now weather station providing real-time weather information for students and the community. Powered by Earth Networks™, the data provided enhances student learning in the classroom and beyond. 

  “Courses such as Earth Science, Environmental Science and Meteorology incorporate the weather station into lessons. This link provides access to the Online Weather Center which is a web-based visualization tool integrated into our website that provides live weather conditions and images captured directly from the weather station,” said Dr. Matt Lawrence, Mahopac High School Principal.

  The high school’s weather station also feeds information to mobile applications like WeatherBug®.  

  http://owc.enterprise.earthnetworks.com/OnlineWeatherCenter.aspx?aid=4958MHS

  District News & Headlines

• Travel Channel star takes over 5th grade class

   While most Austin Road Elementary students get a bit restless and distracted on a grey, cold Monday just before Thanksgiving recess, Mary Jean Cerbini’s fifth grade class was attentive, inquisitive and focused.  All eyes and ears were on Don Wildman, Travel Channel’s host of "Mysteries at the Museum," "Monumental Mysteries" and "Greatest Mysteries.”

  Wildman, a personal friend of Cerbini, took over Social Studies class with lively stories from filming and researching shows for “Mysteries at the Museum.”  He started with theories on Amelia Earhart’s disappearance and engaged a thought-provoking class discussion on theory validation. 

  Doing what he does best, Wildman then smoothly transitioned to UFO and extraterrestrial sitings that led to testing the clandestine surveillance forces of the Unites States Airforce’s “Area 51” in a helicopter.

  The students were given an assignment from Wildman to read a book that is at least one and a half inches thick. He explained to them that his first “big” book was about the civil war which fueled his interest and eventual career into exploring history.

  District News & Headlines

• Elementary School RUNNING Tradition

  Fostering student athletes beginning, the #MahopacWay tradition lives on with the annual Mahopac Elementary Schools Cross Country and 5K races held in October. Students begin to develop the basic running fundamentals and learn the health benefits training for these running events.  “Our aim is to create not just life-long learners but life-long runners, as well,” said Lauren Kittredge, Austin Road Physical Education teacher.  In fact, high school students from the cross country and track teams return to their roots and help with the races.

  The Cross Country race includes all students who run by age on the Lakeview grounds.  The 5K is made up of 4th and 5th graders who’ve committed to train before school before race day at FDR Park. This year’s 5K race was a record setting finish with all participants finishing under 41 minutes.

  2018 Top Finishers

  Boy’s

  1^st Aidan Paris-Devane (Austin Road) 21:21

  2^nd  Vince Cataldo (Austin Road) 21:49

  3^rd Chris Flanagan (Lakeview)  22:36

   

  Girl’s

  1^st  Ryan Hodge (Fulmar Road)  22:45

  2^nd  Niamh Kelleher  (Austin Road)  24:14

  3^rd Fiona Kelleher (Austin Road) 24:30

  District News & Headlines

• Two High School Science Teachers Inducted into NYS Master Teacher Program

  Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced the selection of Mahopac High School teachers Michael Mahoney and Elizabeth Stephans, along with 273 other educators from across the state, to join the New York State Master Teacher Program (NYSMTP) in partnership with the State University of New York and Math for America.

  In effort of strengthening the state’s K-12 STEM education, the NYSMTP honors the work of the highest-performing STEM teachers by establishing an expert community dedicated to developing expertise in teaching science, technology, computer science, robotics, coding, engineering, and math courses across grades K-12, including Advanced Placement, honors, Regents and International Baccalaureate levels. These educators will join the network of Master Teachers created in 2013, bringing the total number of Master Teachers across New York State to 980.

  “Education is the cornerstone to success, and it is the brilliant, dedicated teachers in New York who make a difference in countless lives and inspire the leaders of tomorrow,” Governor Cuomo is quoted on the NYS Education website. “Congratulations to the 275 newest members of the Master Teacher Program, who will join the ranks of the top educators in the state as they work to further their skills and their impact on students in every corner of this great state.”

  “Mr. Mahoney and Ms. Stephens are each a true testament to our District-wide commitment to prepare each and every student for college and career readiness with a strong STEM foundation,” said Anthony DiCarlo, Superintendent of Schools.

  Like their fellow Master Teachers, Mr. Mahoney and Mr. Stephens are active beyond their classrooms.

  Michael Mahoney earned both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Science Education from SUNY New Paltz, and has worked at Mahopac High School for 20 years. Mr. Mahoney has taught Advanced Placement (AP) Biology, AP Environmental and Living Environment, and Syracuse University Project Advanced Forensics. Mr. Mahoney is actively engaged with the Teachers Teaching Teachers program that trains educators in new content, skills and pedagogy. He also created a program to help new teachers transition into their profession. Admittedly, Mr. Mahoney says he learns as much from them as they learn from him. Mr. Mahoney is excited about his new project that allows students to work side-by-side with STEM researchers in Costa Rica to preserve the rainforest. As a NYS Master Teacher, Mr. Mahoney is looking forward to joining his peers in various professional learning teams. His focus is learning and teaching others about reaching the new generation of students, the digital natives. His approach to learning can be summed up by Henry Ford’s statement, “The only real mistake is the one from which we learn nothing.”

  Elizabeth Stephens earned her bachelor of science degree in biology with a concentration in biotechnology from the University of Delaware, her Master of Science degree in Human Genetics from Sarah Lawrence College, and a master of arts degree in Secondary Education from Mercy College. In addition to teaching Regents Living Environment, Introduction to Science Research and Advanced Science Research at Mahopac High School for eight years, Mrs. Stephens has been an active participant in various school-wide initiatives and committees, and is the acting science department chair. As a result of employing the “flipped classroom“ model, Mrs. Stephens provides students with a differentiated approach to learning, using class time to engage them with “minds-on“ activities such as simulation and role-playing activities that reinforce content. She enjoys the opportunity to build strong relationships with her students in Science Research, a multi-year program where they create, complete and present original STEM research of their interests. Outside of class, Mrs. Stephens enjoys horseback riding and camping with her husband and three children. Her professional interests include research on technology integration and its influence on child and adolescent brain development. As a NYS Master Teacher, Mrs. Stephens is a member of the Digital Native Professional Learning Team and participated in the Safety of Genetically Engineered Food, 3-D Printing and the Statistical Inference mini-courses.

  Throughout their four-year participation in the Program, Master Teachers:

  • Receive a $15,000 stipend annually.
  • Engage in peer mentoring and intensive content-oriented professional development opportunities throughout the academic year.
  • Work closely with pre-service and early career teachers to foster a supportive environment for the next generation of STEM teachers.
  • Attend required regional cohort meetings, participate in and lead several professional development sessions each year.

  District News & Headlines