School Notebook: Getting into new groove

From welcome-back picnics to orientation barbecues, Long Island schools had no shortage of creative ways this month to introduce students to the new school year -- and to each other.

In Ronkonkoma, Helen B. Duffield Elementary School held a Kindergarten Fun Day in which dozens of youngsters bonded over relay races and snacks in the school's athletic fields. In Merrick, the district's three elementary schools held back-to-school picnics that included everything from face-painting to balloon animals to dancing, among other things.

In Rocky Point, incoming sixth-graders gathered at the middle school for a barbecue and orientation that allowed kids to mingle and locate their classrooms and lockers.

"These events are a great way for children to see old friends and make new ones," said Bryan Lake, assistant principal of Patchogue-Medford High School. "It's a fun way for everyone to start off the year."

Patchogue-Medford's Class of 2015 Barbecue attracted more than 400 incoming freshman from the district's three middle schools to an afternoon of food made by parents, tours of the high school building, and outdoor games such as Kan-jam, a flying disc game.

Cold Spring Harbor Junior/ Senior High School and Locust Valley Middle School had similar barbecues planned that were canceled because of Tropical Storm Irene. Both schools instead held open houses for new pupils to learn to navigate the buildings.

"Most of their anxiety comes with learning to use lockers, so we open the building ahead of time for them to practice," H. Thomas Hogan, principal of Locust Valley Middle School, said of his students. "This way, they all know what they are doing and where they are going."

In East Islip, high school principal William Brennen discussed the school's strict cell-phone policies during orientation for freshmen and introduced students to assistant principals, guidance counselors and advisers.

In Central Islip, the high school is hosting a first Back-to-School BBQ this Saturday that will include a disc jockey, outdoor games and prizes. The event is being coordinated by the I AM C.I. Foundation.

ISLAND PARK

New principal

John Barnes has been appointed principal of Lincoln Orens Middle School, replacing the retiring Thalia Venditti.

Barnes previously served seven years as a middle school principal in New York City and also has worked as a staff developer, fourth-grade teacher and a history and music teacher.

"I love working with students as they transition from childhood to young adulthood and believe that it is the most important time in the lives of young scholars," Barnes said.

LEVITTOWN

New superintendent

James Grossane has been named superintendent of Levittown public schools, replacing Herman Sirois, who resigned in June. Grossane most recently served as assistant superintendent for student support services in the Massapequa school district and before that was principal of the district's high school.

"As an experienced teacher and administrator, I plan on putting all that I have learned about children and how they learn to good use here in Levittown," Grossane said.

In other news, Frank Mortillaro is the interim principal of Northside Elementary School, replacing Keith Squillacioti, who now is the school's special education director. Mortillaro previously served as dean of students at the district's Wisdom Lane Middle School.

COUNTYWIDE

Community servants

Three Nassau County students were among 25 winners nationwide this summer of the 2011 Nestlé Very Best in Youth Awards, which are based on academic excellence and community service. The teens beat out some 3,500 applicants and received a $1,000 donation to a nonprofit of their choice and an all-expense-paid trip to Los Angeles for the award ceremony in July.

The winning students were Samantha Malis of Bellmore-Merrick Central High School, Alec Urbach of Roslyn Middle School and Christopher Yao of Jericho Middle School.

ISLANDWIDE

Science semifinalists

Five Long Island students were among 300 semifinalists nationwide last month in the inaugural Broadcom MASTERS competition coordinated by the nonprofit Broadcom Foundation and Society for Science & the Public. They were eligible for the competition based on their science and engineering projects that appeared last spring at the Long Island Science & Engineering Fair.

The local semifinalists were Zach Chorost of The Wheatley School in Old Westbury, Peter Guastella of Henry L. Stimson Middle School in Huntington Station, Jessy Lin of Commack Middle School and Alan Khaykin and Robert Stewart of Oceanside Middle School.