With so many possible careers to choose from, students at Park Avenue Memorial Elementary School get a look each year at their options during Career Week. The program, held during the first week of November, was virtual this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, so third, fourth and fifth graders still gained a lot of knowledge that will help with their future planning.

Since speakers were not able to visit the school in person, many parents, community members and local merchants submitted videos in which they talked about their respective careers, such as job requirements and responsibilities. Guidance counselor Kimberly Balducci compiled the videos, which represented a wide range of professions in the construction, education, emergency services, entertainment, health care and science and engineering industries. Teachers then shared the videos through their Google Classroom pages and students could choose which ones to view based on their personal interests.  

Several students also had the opportunity to check out an Amityville fire truck, Amityville police car and Suffolk County police car, while learning about the role of first responders. At the end of the week, children came to school in attire reflecting their desired careers for Dress for Success Day.

Good readers know how to make meaningful predictions within stories, and third graders at Park Avenue Memorial Elementary School have been mastering that skill during Readers Workshop. Students in Jennifer Zider’s class recently practiced that strategy with an interactive Halloween-themed game. 

The class was given a letter about a missing treat stolen by the “candy corn bandit.” Students heard several clues to solve this mystery and had to tap into their knowledge of their school. On their Chromebooks, they accessed Jamboard to individually match the correct Park Avenue location to each clue, using virtual sticky notes and pictures.

Ms. Zider engaged all students using G Suite for Education tools. In addition to Jamboard, a collaborative digital whiteboard, students could access her Google Slide presentation on their Chromebooks. The lesson was also livestreamed on Google Meets so both in-person and remote learners were active participants in the discussion. 

Students in the Amityville Union Free School District are equipped with the tools to make good choices as Red Ribbon Week emphasized the consequences of substance use and abuse.

Red Ribbon Week is a national drug-abuse awareness campaign held each year at the end of October that inspires students to make healthy choices. This year’s theme was “Be Happy. Be Brave. Be Drug Free!”  

At Park Avenue Memorial Elementary School, social worker Jessica Buzzerio visited third, fourth and fifth grade classrooms to talk about the dangers of alcohol, drugs, smoking and vaping. She also discussed peer pressure and shared tips on how to say “no.” Students demonstrated these techniques in simulated peer-pressure situations.  

The week of Oct. 26-30 featured dress-up spirit days including wearing red, wearing pajamas to “wake up drug free,” teaming up against drugs with sports jerseys and saying “boo” to drugs with Halloween costumes. The school also held a poster contest and students could either submit a hand-drawn poster or a digital creation using Google Slides.

At Edmund W. Miles Middle School, Red Ribbon Week lessons were presented during advisory periods for sixth, seventh and eighth graders. Teachers discussed the negative consequences of drug use and how the decisions they make as teenagers can affect the rest of their lives. Students signed drug-free pledges, which were hung on the “Bee Happy, Bee Brave, Bee Drug Free” bulletin board designed by art teacher Jennifer Dibble.

Middle school social worker Beatriz Offitto said the mission of Red Ribbon Week is to encourage children and families to live healthy, happy and drug-free lives. It also serves as a reminder that everyone is empowered to shape their communities through positivity, bravery and strength.

To create even more awareness, teachers decorated their classroom doors for Red Ribbon Week with many fun themes. From “Let’s Taco ’bout drugs… Drugs are Nacho friend” to “Rockin’ a Drug Free Life,” teachers came up with many creative slogans and designs to impart an important message. Students were able to vote on their favorite doors. 

Music teachers found a new way to get students excited about the instrumental and vocal music programs at Park Avenue Memorial Elementary School in the Amityville Union Free School District.

Typically, the school hosts an assembly for fourth graders to encourage students to join the band, chorus and orchestra. But due to gathering restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic, the teachers had to find a new way to recruit students for the music ensembles. So they went virtual. 

Band director Brian Wishin, choral director Megan Ashe and orchestra conductors Bianca Ferrante and Dr. Christine Klimek created videos introducing students to the groups. In Mr. Wishin’s introduction to band, he showed and played all of the instruments that students can select. Ms. Ferrante and Dr. Klimek showcased the cello, double bass, viola and violin. 

The teachers also discussed how music lessons are structured and how full ensembles come together. Students received a band and orchestra sign-up form with all the available instruments. Teachers encouraged them to listen closely so they can choose wisely, as playing an instrument is typically a multi-year commitment. 

All third, fourth and fifth graders, including the upper grade students who play in band or orchestra, are eligible to join the chorus. Ms. Ashe reviewed the differences between alto and soprano. Vocal lessons will be pre-recorded and shared on Google Classroom with all the music they will learn and perform this year. 

Classroom teachers played the videos on Sept. 24 and 25, and the video links were also provided to virtual learners. Students could then submit their interest forms the following week.

Students at Park Avenue Memorial Elementary School are Florida-bound – in spirit. Third, fourth and fifth graders are participating in a health and fitness initiative that has them simulating a trip down south.

It is 1,108 miles from the school to Disney World, and each class is charged with completing that journey. Physical education teachers Colleen Charles, Robert Claps and William Maisel created a course behind the school for the “Run to Florida” initiative, and each time a student completes a lap, they get credit for one mile. Children participating in remote learning are also invited to participate by doing laps in their yards. 

To begin the year, physical education teachers visited classrooms to talk to students about the importance of exercise and teach them how to strengthen different muscle groups and take their heart rates. They also discussed health and safety protocols to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Before circling the back field each day, students do warm-up exercises and stretching. 

Mr. Maisel said he expects that the competitive spirit of the students will get them to complete more laps as the distance for each class is posted and updated. He also noted that “Run to Florida” has math and social studies components. In addition to tallying up the miles for each class, students will discuss historical and geographical facts as they reach different destinations along their trip.