mittees have been instrumen-

tal in keeping the district’s

policies current, while also

establishing a mechanism to

make our voice heard in Alba-

ny.

I hope you enjoy this issue

of the Kings Park Knightly

News and the rest of the sum-

mer. I look forward to work-

ing with you next year as we

continue to move this great

district forward together!

Timothy T. Eagen, Ed.D.

Superintendent of Schools

This issue of the Kings

Park Knightly News con-

tains a great deal of exciting

news from the second half

of the school year.

The 2016-2017 school

year was another very pro-

ductive year for the Kings

Park Central School District.

Together we successfully

implemented and completed

Phase I of our Facilities Pro-

ject which included several

important and much antici-

pated upgrades to our facili-

ties. For example, the turf

field was completed just in

time for Homecoming in the

fall, and the lights should be

completed ahead of schedule

in early summer. We also

took an important step for-

ward in the areas of policy

and advocacy, as the

Board’s policy and legisla-

tive committees continued

their important work. The

policy and legislative com-

The district’s grounds and

school buildings are one of

the community’s most signifi-

cant assets. Thanks to the

community’s support of the

Bond Project back in Decem-

ber 2015, our buildings and

grounds will continue to un-

dergo a series of transfor-

mations over the next few

years. I want to take a mo-

ment to describe the work that

will be accomplished during

the 2017-2018 school year:

At KPHS:

Lights for the field

New concession stand with

bathrooms

Renovation of library media

center, two computer rooms,

& the ISR room

Auditorium upgrades

AC installed in auditorium &

main gymnasium

Electrical upgrades

Asphalt & pavement upgrades

in back parking lot

At WTR:

Field irrigation

Gymnasium renovations

At RJO:

Asphalt & pavement upgrades

Interior renovations

Auditorium upgrades

Electrical upgrades

At Park View:

Asphalt & pavement upgrades

Masonry restoration

Interior renovations

Door & hardware replacement

Electrical upgrades

Plumbing & bathroom up-

grades

Boiler & HVAC upgrades

Due to the scope of some of

these projects and/or delays at

the state level in the permitting

process, a significant portion of

this work will continue into the

2017-2018 school year. As we

did last year, we will update the

community on our progress

throughout the summer and fall

through a series of eblasts.

Check our website

(www.kpcsd.org) or follow us

on Facebook (Kings Park

School District) or Twitter

(@KPSchools) for weekly up-

dates on the work progress this

summer.

From the Desk of the Superintendent

Facilities Work Updates

K I N G S P A R K C S D

K I N G S P A R K , N Y 1 1 7 5 4

Kings Park Knightly News

Summer 2017

S U M M E R 2 0 1 7 V O L U M E 3 , I S S U E 2

N EWS

FRO M

A ROUND

TH E

D IST RIC T

From our

Schools: page

KPHS 2

WTRMS 3

RJO 4

Fort Salonga 5

Park View 6

Other News from Around

the District:

Spring Sports

Season in

Review 7

Gold Key

Recipients 7

Other

News 7-8

P A G E 2

Students at Beth-

page Federal Credit

Union headquarters.

KPHS Valedictorian and Salutatorian

Relay For Life

News From Kings Park High School

This year students

from the “Senior Ex-

perience” class, Ac-

counting, and the

DECA Business Club

learned about job

applications, that

apply to their courses

of study, at Bethpage Federal

Credit Union’s headquarters.

The students learned all about

the behind-the-scenes work at

the Credit Union by shadow-

ing employees. They were

able to see the Community De-

velopment and Relations de-

partment, tour the tellers vault,

and see the human resources

and executive offices. Saman-

tha Warshauer, a senior, said

“As business students, it was a

great opportunity to get an in-

side look into the real world

and explore possible career

paths, with the help from expe-

rienced professionals.” In addi-

tion, management provided our

students with insights of their

own career paths and how their

respective departments are

integral to the organization.

Our students were engaged and

asked many questions that led

to a meaningful understanding

of possible career paths in

banking. Junior Achievement

of New York has been spon-

soring the Job Shadowing

Program for over a decade as

well as coordinating these

work experiences with

Bethpage Credit Union.

time and did whatever it

took, giving up weekends,

holidays, and after school

activities to see that Kings

Park would have the best

relay ever. Brittany DiDona-

to was our point person, and

Kings Park would not have

been able to have done it

without her! With the com-

bined efforts of Brittany,

On Tuesday, May 24,

2016, our affection-

ately known Trifecta

of three amazing stu-

dents began their

journey of bringing

Relay for Life back to Kings

Park. Think about it, one

whole year of planning!

Mary Lavis, Samantha Young

and Julianna Coyle gave their

Mary, Sam, Julianna and our

committees, Kings Park

came together on a beauti-

ful, sunny June day to cele-

brate life and each other. To

see the luminary bags lit as

the sun was setting, and the

moon was rising was breath-

taking. Kings Park High

School looks forward to

next year’s Relay for Life!

and National Merit Scholar.

She will be attending Co-

lumbia University in the

fall and will be majoring in

Mechanical Engineering.

Joseph Ribaudo graduated

with a cumulative weighted

average of 105.89. Joseph

served as Vice-President of

ISR and Model U.N., and

was actively involved in the

following: Math Club,

F.I.R.S.T. Robotics, Stage

Crew, D.E.C.A., and Trivia

Club, just to name a few. Joseph also

received the National Hispanic Scholar

Award and manages to find the time to

give back to the

community by

teaching religion

twice a week at St.

Joseph’s Parish. He

will be attending

Yale University

next year, double

majoring in

Molecular, Cellular and Developmental

Biology and Economics.

Congratulations to KPHS

Class of 2017 Valedictorian

Anjali Verma and Salutatori-

an Joseph Ribaudo. Anjali

Verma graduated with a

cumulative weighted average

of 105.98. Anjali served as

the President of Science

Olympiad, Student Leader of

the KP Chamber Orchestra,

Vice-President of ISR and

Model U.N.. She has

been recognized as a

Coca-Cola Scholar,

Some participants walking

the survivors lap at Relay

for Life.

K I N G S P A R K

Senior Experience – Job Shadowing at

Bethpage Federal Credit Union

Anjali Verma

Joseph Ribaudo

News From William T. Rogers Middle School

P A G E 3 V O L U M E 3 , I S S U E 2

Service Learning

at WTRMS Throughout the school year,

WTRMS staff, students, and their

families raised money to support a

variety of special causes and

organizations. After meeting Chris

Pendergast from ALS Ride for Life,

the entire school community was

inspired to help this cause! From

selling raffles at events to taking part

in a chocolate fundraiser, over $4,000

was raised for the organization. To

celebrate these efforts, the ALS Ride

for Life team visited WTRMS on

June 1st to thank the students. This

year, the WTRMS staff and students

also participated in Relay for Life!

Team members raised money and

signed up to walk the track in honor of

loved ones in an effort to raise money

for the American Cancer Society. It

was a great event and our students and

staff were truly inspired by the efforts

of the Kings Park Community! Princi-

pal Lauren Moreno said, “Service

learning is such an important part of

our middle school program. I’m so

proud of all we have accomplished this

year together.”

Operation Footlocker was a true

collaboration between the Kings

Park Heritage Museum, the WTR

Library, and Social Studies

teachers. This project gave stu-

dents the opportunity to explore

WWII artifacts from the Kings

Park Heritage Museum. Mr. Oste-

bo, the museum’s curator, gave

guidance as artifacts were carefully

selected for the project. Students

donned white gloves to protect the

artifacts while they explored and

This spring, 8th grade students

had an opportunity to gain

insight into the history of World

War II by exploring artifacts.

analyzed to discover their historical

significance. Artifacts included a

WWII pilot’s flight jacket, an emer-

gency rations tin, an M1 “Steel Pot”

helmet, an “Ike” jacket, a set of sol-

dier identification tags, ration cards

and stamps, a women’s marine uni-

form, a manual typewriter, pictures of

the community members who served

in the military, a WWII model air-

plane, military manuals, gear that was

carried in the field, and propaganda

posters.

Council of Schools Pi Day Pie Eating

Contest, Sports Night, College Day,

and Stress-Buster Week—which ended

with a yoga event and our annual

Reading Marathon. A fun addition to

Middle School Month this year was

WTR Day, during which the staff

learned about former Principal,

William T. Rogers, and took part in a

school-wide team-building activity! It

was a month filled with activities for

the entire school community to

celebrate this exciting and unique time

in the students’ lives…middle school!

In honor of Middle School Month,

WTRMS hosted a variety of exciting

events for students, faculty members,

and families. The month included

special recognition events for students,

such as Breakfast with the Principal

and a Student of the Month Luncheon.

The World Language Department

hosted International Week and on each

Mix-it-Up Monday, Mrs. Moreno, Dr.

Deerr, and Mr. Ferrazzi stepped into

the shoes of students for the day!

Other events included the Annual

Community Read Event, the

Celebrating Middle School Month

Operation WWII Footlocker

Bee

The ALS Ride for Life team members

visited WTR on June 1st to celebrate

fundraising efforts.

WTR hosted its Annual Read-

ing Marathon to celebrate Mid-

dle School Month in March!

Students explore WWII artifacts during

Operation Footlocker.

P A G E 4

RJO’s new

digital

welcome

sign.

Field Day

Spring Concert

News from R.J.O. Intermediate School

RJO enjoys a collabo-

rative relationship

with their Parent

Faculty Organization

(PFO). Throughout

the year, parent

volunteers came

together to raise

money for items and

materials that support

the students and their

community. The PFO

raised thousands of dollars

to purchase ozobots, 3-D

pens, activities for the 5th

grade picnic, money to

defer the cost of grade lev-

el field trips, etc. The big-

gest donation is seen by all

as you drive past the RJO

building where a brand

new digital sign offers

general information to fami-

lies of RJO students and

members of the community.

We appreciate their dedica-

tion, support and thank them

for all that the PFO does to

support Kings Park’s high

educational standards.

were provided with the skills

necessary to lead them to

become successful musicians.

Fourth graders start with a few

notes in September of their

first year, perform for the first

RJO’s instrumental

and choral

programs continue

to grow as they

encompass approxi-

mately two-thirds

of the student popu-

lation in both

grades 4 and 5. In

most cases, RJO is the first time

students are introduced to

musical instruments. Students

time in front of an audience in Decem-

ber, then culminate the RJO experi-

ence, after two years, with a well-

attended 5th grade spring concert. This

year’s concert was a success for all

groups; band, orchestra and chorus.

allowed each child to challenge

themselves physically. From

dances, to volleyball, cup

stacking, to football tosses and

field hockey, our students

participated in some healthy competi-

tion. The day was facilitated by RJO’s

Physical Education Teachers, Kelly

Demeri and Jen Szatkowski. Support

and assistance was also provided by

PFO volunteers, teachers and custodi-

ans. It was a fun day for all!

Annually, students participate

in their grade level Field

Days. Field Day is designed

for students to experience a

wide range of activities as

they compete with their class-

mates. Generous donations

from the PFO allowed all

students to receive a colored

RJO shirt, to identify their

team. On June 14th, our 4th

and 5th grade students partici-

pated in an exciting day that

Cup stacking competition.

K I N G S P A R K K N I G H T L Y N E W S

Digital Sign Donated by RJO’s PFO

The RJO Orchestra.

News From Fort Salonga Elementary School

P A G E 5 V O L U M E 3 , I S S U E 2

On Tuesday, June 13th students,

faculty and staff celebrated Fort

Salonga Elementary School’s 50th

Birthday. Part of the festivities

included the opening of a time cap-

sule that was sealed within one of the

school’s walls in 1967. Some of the

items in the capsule included pic-

tures of former students, student

work, a district newsletter and a pic-

ture of the first faculty. These items

will remain on display in the main

lobby of the school until the end of

the summer. The capsule will be

reopened and items from current stu-

dents will be added. We are hopeful that

it will be re-opened on the school’s

100th birthday in the year 2067.

Throughout the school year the site

based committee worked hard to plan a

memorable event for all of the students,

faculty, staff and members of the Fort

Salonga Parent Teacher Association.

Former faculty members and principals

of the school attended the event. Family

members of the first principal, Mr. Joe

DiSpigno attended in his honor. Legisla-

tor Robert Trotta presented the school

with a proclamation and our school su-

perintendent Dr. Timothy Eagen spoke

at the celebration. Current music teach-

er, Beth Lafantano spoke about her ex-

periences as a student at Fort Salonga.

The third grade chorus sang our school

song “Here at the Fort” which was writ-

ten by music teacher Greg Suriano. The

students wore birthday hats and had

cupcakes following the program. A new

school sign was designed and built in

commemoration of the school’s birthday

by Kings Park High School Technology

classes under the direction of Stefan

Rosen. This was all thanks to a donation

that was provided by the Fort Salonga

Parent Teacher Association. It was a mem-

orable day for all that participated. Fort

Salonga Elementary School was a special

place fifty years ago and that remains true

to this day.

consists of three contests where

districts nationwide participate.

Each contest consists of six

problems where multiple steps

and higher order thinking are

required to find the solutions. The

Fort Salonga Math Club scored

the highest number of points in

The third grade math club placed

first in the Math Continental

League. Under the direction of

Mr. Rubin and Mrs. Kramer, this

math contest is designed to help

students improve their math

comprehension and problem

solving skills. The program

the state of New York.

Nationally, six hundred

schools participate in this

prestigious league.

allowed for students to learn

about their hearts and increase

their heart rates. Because of their

efforts, the school raised

$21,479.00 this year. Since 2006

the school has raised over

$97,000 for the American Heart

Association. Last year, Fort

Salonga Elementary School was

recognized as one of the top ten

schools in Suffolk County to

raise funds for this organization.

Special thanks to our families and

the staff that helped us reach our

goal.

Each year the Jump Rope for

Heart campaign is organized by

our physical education teacher,

Carissa Muscolino. Jump Rope

for Heart is a fundraising and

physical activity program based

around skipping. It teaches

school aged children how to keep

fit and healthy, all while having

fun and raising vital funds for

heart disease and education. In

honor of the Jump Rope for Heart

campaign, Ms. Muscolino along

with her colleague Mr. LoPalo set

up a number of stations in the

gymnasium. These stations

American

Heart

Association:

Jump Rope

for Heart

Fort Salonga Math Club Wins First Place in the Math Continental League

Happy 50th Birthday Fort Salonga Elementary School

Suffolk County Legislator Robert

Trotta , Mrs. MontaCalvo, and

Dr. Eagen, holding the proclamation.

P A G E 6

Mr. Storch taped to

the wall in the school

gymnasium.

Walk of Fame

Park View School Carnival

News From Park View Elementary School

The Park View Elementary

Student Council worked

hard this school year to

raise funds for the Ronald

McDonald House of Long

Island. Members of the

Student Council as well as

volunteers from Kings Park

High School raised funds

during a pancake breakfast

at Applebee’s in Com-

mack. Park View students

served guests a delicious

pancake breakfast while the

high school students prepared

the food. The students set a

goal of $2000 which they

surpassed. As a reward, Mr.

Storch agreed to be taped to

the wall in the school

gymnasium. The Student

Council had the opportunity

to visit the Ronald McDonald

house in order to present their

check as well as tour the

facility. Service events such

as this teach our students

empathy and the importance

of helping others.

were several new inflatable

games this year for students

to enjoy such as an obstacle

course, basketball, and

GaGa ball. The carnival

was made possible by funds

raised from the PFA

organized after school clubs

during the month of March.

Admission to the clubs

The students of Park

View participated in the

annual PFA Carnival on

June 9th. Students

enjoyed a variety of

activities throughout the

day such as face paint-

ing, carnival games,

prizes, and ices. There

ultimately funded an amazing

school carnival. Thank you to

all of the PFA parents who

volunteered. The teachers,

staff, and students of Park

View truly appreciate all of

the time and effort you put

into making our school a fun

and engaging place to learn.

circumstance was played

throughout the school to

make the walk even more

exciting. The graduating

seniors each wore a shirt

indicating which college or

university they would attend

in the fall. Our graduating

seniors serve as positive role

models for our existing

students. There were a lot of

“high fives” given as the

seniors walked the halls of

Park View for the last time.

All of the Kings Park High

School graduating seniors who

attended Park View paid a

special last visit to the school

that established their strong

foundation in learning. The

current Park View students sat

in the hallways outside of their

classrooms and cheered as the

seniors walked in procession

through the school. There were

plenty of hugs and tears as

teachers recognized students

from years past. Pomp and

K I N G S P A R K K N I G H T L Y N E W S

Park View Service

The bounce house at our

Carnival.

“Service events such as this

teach our students empathy

and the importance of help-

ing others.” -Mr. Storch

Spring Sports Season in Review

P A G E 7 V O L U M E 3 , I S S U E 2

The Kings Park School District is very proud of all of our

student-athletes who made a commitment this spring season

to represent our school district and community on the athlet-

ic field. The spring season was filled with

many great moments on the field and many

accomplishments off of the field. We are very

proud of the fact that all 7 of our Varsity teams

and a total of 149 student-athletes from the

spring season attained the prestigious honor of

being named New York State Scholar Athlete

Award Winners. In addition, we had 15 All-

League, 9 All-Conference/Division and 4 All-

County athletes. Senior Danny Byrne was

crowned New York State Outdoor Shot Put

Champion, following up his New York State

Indoor Shot Put title. Our student-

athletes have once again shown to be

leaders both in the classroom and on the

playing field. These student-athletes

have continued the tradition of success-

ful athletic seasons at Kings Park.

the form to purchase tickets on the

school district website at:

http://www.kpcsd.org. Then click on

the “Superintendent” tab at the top of

the page, and scroll down to “Special

Flyers and Fundraisers.” The first

pitch is scheduled for 7:10pm. Don’t

miss this opportunity to enjoy an even-

ing at the ballpark with your Kings

Park Family! If you have any ques-

tions, contact Cynthia Grimley

(KPCouncilofSchools@gmail.com) .

On September 9, 2017, Kings Park will

be headed to Citi Field for a night of fun

at the ballpark. This is a fundraising

event that is being organized by our

Council of Schools and supported by

many of our parent organizations. Tick-

ets are still available and can be pur-

chased for $44 each. The highlight of

the evening will be a group of approxi-

mately 100 Kings Park students singing

the National Anthem. You can access

athletic program at Kings Park

throughout their high school career. It

takes a dedicated and athletically

gifted individual to be able to succeed

both academically and athletically

while being a member of multiple

high school sports teams each year.

The following 15 seniors from the

Class of 2017 were recipients of the

prestigious Section XI Gold Key

Award:

Carley Allyson

Michaela Bartley

Tim Boyle

Danny Byrne

Doug Gradel

Tiffany Hurtado

Toni Labrador

Gillian Legrottaglie

Doug Mullen

Haley Perez

Rhianna Triolo

Selena Ubriaco

Samantha Warshauer

Alyssa Womack

Laura Zopf

The Gold Key Award is present-

ed by Section XI, the governing

body of Suffolk County High

School Athletics, and is

considered the highest honor that

an athlete can receive for sports

participation. In order to be

eligible to win the Gold Key

Award an individual must letter

in eight seasons in grades 10

through 12. These individuals

have dedicated themselves to the

Varsity Baseball and Softball teams

qualified for the Suffolk County

Class AA Playoffs.

Gold Key Awards

Kings Park Family Day at Citi Field

Saturday, Sept. 9, 2017

7:10 PM

Mets vs. Cincinnati Reds

This past June 22, we

wished the members of the

Class of 2017 well as they

graduated from Kings Park

High School and embarked on

a new chapter in their lives.

The Class of 2017 achieved a

great deal this year. For

example, on Senior Awards

Night, 126 Seniors received

206 different awards (a new

record) which totaled just shy

of a million dollars in

scholarships!!! They are a

special group of young men

and women, and they will be

missed. In my commencement

speech, I described the Class of

2017 as “the salt of Kings

Park.” First, we could

probably agree that most

things taste better with a dash

of salt. Salt is stable, and

never loses its flavor. Second,

people who are considered

“the salt of the Earth” are full

of goodness to the core of

their being and always treat

others with respect, kindness,

and patience. I challenged the

Class of 2017 to “be the pur-

ple Gatorade this country

needs” and to encourage

others to do the same. Best of

luck to the Class of 2017!

180 Lawrence Road

Kings Park, NY 11754

(631) 269-3310

Follow us on Twitter: @KPSchools, or

on Facebook: “Kings Park School District”

ADMINISTRATION:

Dr. Timothy T. Eagen

Superintendent of Schools

Dr. Ralph Cartisano

Assistant Superintendent for

Curriculum & Instruction

Mr. John Craig

Assistant Superintendent for

Personnel & Administrative Services

Dr. Danielle Colby-Rooney

Administrator for Pupil Personnel Services

Mrs. Shannon Meehan

School Business Administrator

BOARD OF EDUCATION:

Ms. Pam DeFord, President

Mrs. Diane Nally, Vice President

Mr. Joe Bianco, Trustee

Mr. Kevin Johnston, Trustee

Mr. Daniel Tew, Trustee

Kings Park Central School District

Congratulations to the Class of 2017

www.kpcsd.org

MISSION STATEMENT:

The Kings Park Central School District will provide an

excellent education for all children. Students will be

given the opportunity to develop academically, physi-

cally, socially, and emotionally, while learning the nec-

essary skills to communicate effectively. This will be

accomplished in a stimulating and challenging environ-

ment that maximizes every resource available.