John F. Kennedy Middle School

 

500 Broadway, Bethpage, NY 11714 PRINCIPAL: Mr. Kevin Fullerton ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL: Mr. Scott Zanville DEANS: Brian Hennen and Jill Bennardo
Main Office: 516-644-4200 (Phone) 516-937-0540 (Fax)

 

 

In the News

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Italian Trip

On Thursday, February 27th the 8th grade Italian classes saw the film "La Vita e' Bella" in Italian with English subtitles. Students were exposed to Italian culture and language. This fable of an Italian Jewish family during the Holocaust swept and captivated the students' attention through humor and tragedy. Afterwards, we enjoyed an authentic Italian meal at La Famiglia restaurant in Plainview. The restaurant served a variety of traditional Italian dishes. Students were grateful for having the opportunity to experience Italian culture through cinema and cuisine.

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Quebec Trip

The Middle School 7th and 8th grade French classes enjoyed a fabulous trip to Quebec, under the supervision of French teacher Ronny Ciarniello and chaperones, Dave Rodriguez and Susan Sciglibaglio. Some of the activities included snow-tubing, dog-sledding, visiting the Ice Hotel, walking across the Montmorency Falls, touring Old Quebec, eating delicious crepes and croissants, and participating in an inter-active soldier activity. It was a wonderful experience for everyone.

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Challenger Basketball

Congratulations to all the players on the Bethpage Challenger Basketball team. In front of a HUGE crowd at Bethpage High School they played a terrific team from Seaford. It was a great game with a lot of enthusiasm! Thanks to all the attendees including the White Tees, our announcers and referees, the Kickline and Cheerleaders! Thanks also to all the teachers, staff members and Administrators who supported the team!

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Bully Awareness Day

On Monday February 24th, JFK held its annual Bullying Awareness Day. This all day event included presentations by Tom Murphy of "Sweethearts and Heroes" and motivational speaker Rohan Murphy. The day was capped off by a rally in the gymnasium, which included performances by the chorus, the Snowtones, JFK's very own "Stand Up, Be Brave" video, and a teacher led flash mob! A memorable day was had by all involved.

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21st Century Trip to Connetquot River State Park Preserve

On Saturday February 1st Mr. Carroll and Mr. Portuese, hosted a combined Middle School and High School trip to the preserve in Oakdale.

This 3,500 acres slice of paradise was once the grounds of the exclusive “South Side Sportsman’s Club, created in 1866. The club was founded when a group of hunting and fishing enthusiast purchased Snedicor’s Inn, a tavern and stagecoach stop for wealthy travelers en route to Montauk. The tavern became their clubhouse and as time marched on they built upon the structure to create the main house, boasting 100 members. Our students experienced a piece of unspoiled land that hasn’t changed since the island was formed. Access to this preserve is only permitted by permit. Students toured the trout hatchery then took a vigorous hike along the river, identifying animal tracks and catching sight of wintering birds including the great blue heron. Participants then had the opportunity to eat lunch in the main dining room, like the club members did over 100 years ago.

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Disney's Aladdin Junior

On February 6th, 7th, and 8th JFK's Drama Club took the stage to present Disney's Aladdin Junior! Over 100 dedicated students worked closely with Mr. Scarola, Ms. Strongin, and Ms. Cooper to make this production a huge success--and it showed! Here are some of the pictures from the show!

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Winter Party

On Friday, January 31, JFK Middle School held there annual Winter Party. At this event students participated in many games of chance, where their math skills were put to the test. This event, hosted by the PTA, also included a cafeteria filled with cotton candy, hot dogs, and numerous other treats. Teachers dressed up like dealers in a casino for full effect.

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Honor Society Induction

On Wednesday January 29th seventy-five students were inducted into the National Junior Honor Society. Honor Society President Alex Freedman hosted the ceremony and spoke on the behalf of the inductees. The principles of leadership, scholarship, citizenship, service and character were emphasized as the core values of our future leaders. Officers Marco Cunha, Jason Steier, Jeremy Miller , Katarina Boncicand Josh Danziger conducted the candle lighting ceremony to represent these core values.

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Mathcounts

On Thursday, February 6, 2014, nine students from JFK Middle School accompanied Ms. Noreman to the annual Mathcounts competition at Hofstra University. Our team competed against 12 other schools from across Nassau County, as well as some individual students from schools without Mathcounts clubs. The 8th grade competitors were Evanna Plakas, Smiti Shah, Chris Shamah and Emily Liang. The 7th grade competitors were Sohan Maiti, Nikhil Sanghvi, Blake VonderEsch, Bhavika Garg and Vasudha Prasad. It was a challenging and rewarding day for our students.

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Jack at Carnegie Hall

JFK student Jack Kemperle recently performed a piano solo at Carnegie Hall’s Weill Hall. Playing pieces from Mozart, Jack wowed the audience with his performance! Congratulations!

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YouTube Clip

TGIF

On Friday, January 17 , over 250 students participated in JFK's third T.G.I.F. for the 2013-14 school year. Students enjoyed numerous activities including karaoke, playing basketball and dodgeball, swimming, board games, ping-pong, watching a movie, or just spending time with friends eating pizza and talking.

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Geography Bee

John F. Kennedy Middle School hosted its annual geography bee through the National Geographic Society in January. The first round was held in social studies classes, and then the top students faced off in a secondary geography challenge. The winner of the schoolwide bee was Alex Monoyos, a sixth-grader in Monica Klein’s social studies class. The runner-up was Sophia Suazo, a seventh-grader in Jody Smith’s social studies class who was also a runner-up in last year’s bee.

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All County Music

Congratulations to the 39 Bethpage students who participated in the All-County Music Festival at the Tilles Center. It was a fantastic evening!

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Christmas Wrapping

Students in the SADD clubs adopted 30 children for the holidays and raised money for gifts to be presented. They held a wrapping party to get ready and everyone was in the holiday spirit! Thanks to SADD Advisor Ms. Kennedy for making the arrangements!

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National Circus Project

As part of our 21st Century programming, JFK students watched and participated in an amazing circus performance. Following the show, they participated in a workshop which included juggling, plate-spinning, balancing, using devil sticks, and diabolos.

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Vanderbilt Planetarium

On Friday, December 13th, a group of 21st century scholars had a unique opportunity to explore the universe when the Vanderbilt Planetarium brought their new 37 foot customized bus to JFK Middle School. After a brief introductory classroom session the students embarked on the bus where they explored astronomy at five hands-on interactive stations. When they returned to the classroom they were given a challenge – to determine the color of a star. They used their knowledge of the electromagnetic spectrum and the analysis of the temperature of the star to make their final determination.

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All County Nominations

The following John F. Kennedy middle school students were selected to represent their school in this year's All-County music festival. The concerts take place at C. W. Post during the first weeks of January. All of these students were selected based on their high score/rating from last year's N.Y.S.S.M.A. solo festival. Congratulations to the following students on their wonderful achievement: Emily Liang (Violin) Orchestra, Attilio Vosilla (Bass) Orchestra, Doreen Dong(Violin) Orchestra, Bridget Pfeifer (Voice) Chorus, Alexandra Midgette (Voice) Chorus, Jami Palmer(Voice) Chorus, Olivia Hanley(Flute) Band, Katarina Boncic(Bass Clarinet) Band, and Smiti Shah (Chorus).

These students were selected amongst thousands of others who were recommended. Being chosen is a tremendous honor and the result of lots of hard work on their behalf. Congratulations again to all of them!

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Ronald McDonald House of Long Island

After presenting the Ronald McDonald House director with a check that was raised by the staff and students of JFK, we received a tour of the house, and students were given the opportunity to bake for the families. It was an incredible experience; one that will not soon be forgotten.

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Cupstacking

Congratulations and thanks to all who participated in the 2013 STACK UP! More than 2,800 schools and organizations representing 36 countries from around the world registered for this year's colossal sport stacking event held on Guinness World Records Day, November 14th. The total number of stackers worldwide was 556, 241.

JFK Middle School has participated in this event for the past 3 years. Students, with the help of Mrs. Deborah Muller and Ms. Hanai Okita, enjoyed a fun filled afternoon of stacking. The highlight of our record breaking day was building the pyramid and then.... knocking it down!

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Remembrance Day

Our John F. Kennedy Middle School was the first school in the nation to be named after the President upon his death. On November 26, 1963 the Bethpage Board of Education renamed the school. 50 years later, students, teachers and administrators all worked together to commemorate that fateful day in Dallas. Our Gym became a museum to JFK and the 1960's. Later in the day we have a formal Re-Dedication Ceremony. Thanks to all the students, teachers, administrators and parents for the hard work and special thanks to Mr. Fullerton for his vision on commemorating this day

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Veteran's Day

All 6th graders were welcome to a wonderful hour of meeting and greeting some of Bethpage's finest veterans. Our visitors were all members of Butehorn Brothers POST 4987. Stories were told. Questions were asked. These men all served in WWII and were only a few years older than our students now, when they did. This event helped the kids to understand that these men fought for our freedom today. Their minds were opened and their hearts melted.

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Sailing Trip

JFK students enjoyed a brisk and breezy fall day sailing aboard the Christeen. The Christeen is a restored oyster sloop that the students helped sail the waters of Oyster Bay . Our young sailors discovered maritime history, Gold Coast history and about the organisms that inhabit Oyster Bay. A great time was had by all.

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Mamma Mia Trip

Mrs. Cooper and Ms. McCarthy took 25 students to see Mamma Mia this past Friday night and we had a blast! Students participated in a pre-session where they learned about Broadway traditions, theater etiquette, and the story/setting of Mamma Mia. This coming Friday, 11/15 from 3:20-4pm, we have a post-session where we will compare the show to the movie version. Students must attend all three dates in order to receive credit. We hope to run one more Broadway trip this year, so keep checking 21st Century website for more info in the coming months.

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New York Philharmonic Trip

JFK Orchestra students attended a performance of the New York Philharmonic with Maestro Esa-Pekka Salonen at Avery Fisher Hall on November 1st. The concert included works by Ravel and Sibelius and the New York premiere of Salonen's violin concerto, performed by Leila Josefowicz.

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21st Century - Radio Station Visit

Students from JFK middle school toured the radio station. The students were introduced to Steve Harper and Jody Vale, both DJs for K98.3. A great time was had by all.

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Recording #1

Recording #2

JFK Cheer Team

The JFK 8th grade cheer team braved the cold weather to cheer on the fabulous 7th and 8th grade football team this past Wednesday, October 23, 2013. Bethpage defeated Plainview with a crushing victory. Check out some action shots of the cheerleaders!

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Cradle of Aviation

Bethpage teachers teamed up recently at the Cradle of Aviation with local astronomers as part of PROJECT ASTRO. Teams planned future visits to Central Blvd (Mr. Regan and Ms. Lemaire), JFK (Mrs. Sciglibaglio and Mrs. Siminario) and JFKs Astronomy Club (Mrs. Raia and Mr. Pollatos). Here, teachers are making impact craters in "moon dust" and determining the factors that affect the craters size.

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TGIF

Another great TGIF event for JFK! Thanks to all the teachers, staff and administrators for their help with basektball, dodgeball, games, ping pong,swimming, serving pizza to over 300 students! A great time was had by all!

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Bethpage Helps Moore, OK

Students and staff raised money and supplies to help the victims of the tornado in Moore, OK. One of our past speakers, Kylie Morgan, was from Moore and she had an impact on all of us and we wanted to help her hometown. Pictures are of Kylie presenting the check to a student assembly in Moore and you can watch the video at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jO4JtmE2rV0

Thanks to everyone for helping our friends in Moore!

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French Club Car Wash

On Saturday, Sept. 28, the Middle School French Classes, under the supervision of Madame Ciarniello, held a car wash to help raise money for their trip to Quebec in February. It was a picture perfect day, and we had a wonderful turn-out. Even our superintendent, Mr. Terry Clark, stopped by to get his car washed. Everyone worked hard and had a lot of fun.

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ACTIVITY FAIR A SUCCESS AT JFK

JFK held a successful Activity Fair that introduced students and parents to the many extra curricular clubs that are offered at JFK.

The Activity Fair took place after school on Wednesday, September 18th in the Cafeteria. The students visited the various booths and signed up for different clubs. The Activity Fair information was also on display during Back to School Night for the parents to see.

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7th Grade Project Adventure

The 7th grade students at JFK had a wonderful day at Project Adventure at the Boces Outdoor Center. Groups worked together to meet challenges which facilitate problem solving, cooperation, communication, trust-building, risk-taking, and awareness of self and others. This was done through games, and mental and physical obstacles such as the cable bridge, "Monster Feet", and climbing the low wall.

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THE PREAMBLE CHALLENGE

In recognition of Constitution Day, JFK students participated in a Preamble Challenge contest. Over forty students successfully memorized and recited correctly all of the words in The Preamble to the Constitution. One student from each grade level won the contest as they recited the words correctly in the shortest amount of time. The overall grade level winners of the contest were: Bridget Pfeifer – Grade 6 (6.89 seconds)

• Soham Maiti – Grade 7 (6.46 seconds)
• Heather Palmer – Grade 8 (6.10 seconds)

The students were awarded certificates for their accomplishments and had a pizza lunch with Mr. Fullerton and Mr. Zanville. Congratulations to all of the students who participated.

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New Teacher Orientation

Welcome to the newest staff members in Bethpage! An orientation day was organized by Ms. Lavelle and featured a bus tour of Bethpage with Mr. Clark as the tour guide and it included a stop at Cablevision. We wish all our new teachers and teaching assistants the best as they join a terrific faculty and staff!

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Ice Cream Social

On August 26th a handful of 6th graders visited JFK for an open house event. Several of our incoming 8th graders led tours for their younger counterparts. After seeing the building, students participated in our yearly Ice Cream Social. Students and staff enjoyed each other's company, as well as the delicious ice cream!

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JFK Moves On

Congratulations to our Eighth Graders on their Moving On Ceremony! Everything was terrific and the teachers along with Mr. Schneider and Mr. Fullerton are very proud of them! We wish them all the best at BHS!

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Festival of Cultures

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PTA Dinner

The Bethpage Council of PTA's held a beautiful dinner for new officers and to honor many people for their long service to the students of Bethpage. The dinner was coordinated by Mrs. Lena Ritchie and Mrs. Carmela Ambrosio. They honored Mrs. Lisa Mastanduno with a special lifetime service award and she was joined by her family. Earlier in the evening Mrs. Mastanduno gave a moving speech about how the entire school community assisted her in raising her children and how grateful she was. She will be missed in PTA! PTA Council also honored retiring Board of Ed members Tom Frost and Joel Dauman for their years of service and then honored Mr. DeTommaso for his dedication to Bethpage. Each PTA honored retirees including Billie Rothberg, Leslie Schreiber, Nanette Girolamo, Maddy Landau, Linda Link and Carol Leonardi. It was a terrific evening. Thanks to Bethpage PTA!

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JFK Science

JFK held its Annual Science Fair and there were some very impressive exhibits. The students did a great job and the parents and teachers were very proud!

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NYC Trip

Stop the Presses! Ms. Cooper and Ms. McCarthy organized a trip to NYC with 25 students to see Newsies the Musical on May 31! A great time was had by all! Newsies is based on the story of the Newsboys Strike of 1899 in New York City and is the tale of newsboy Jack Kelly, who dreams of a better life far from the hardship of the streets. Students attended a pre-session on Tuesday, May 28 where we discussed theater etiquette and Broadway shows in general, as well as a post-session on Tuesday, June 4th where students created their very own Newsies playbills. Thanks to all chaperones and students who helped make this trip a success!

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8th Grade Trip

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Democracy in Action

Talented students from around the district showed off their considerable talents in the Annual Democracy in Action showcase. Singers, musicians, dancers and artists were all involved. They were fantastic! Thanks to all the teachers and administrators who assisted in the planning of the event. Thanks to those who contributed to the Great American Bake Sale and thanks also to the PTA for organizing the book sale. It was a wonderful celebration of democracy!

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Travel Overseas...Virtually

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to visit a foreign country or two? J.F.K.'s very own 8th grader, Anthony Hernandez, did just that. Come away with us on a journey to Greece and Italy. While on the journey, you'll visit such places as the Temple of Zeus, the ruins of Pompeii and the Vatican. This was an interactive session where Anthony presented a magnificent Power Point from his People to People trip to Europe during the summer of 2012 and the kids were able to ask him questions. Photographs and artifacts were available for their viewing pleasures. This presentation made a nice connection to the 6th grade SS curriculum. It was open to 6th graders only.

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J.F.K. Senior Orchestra

The J.F.K. Senior Orchestra attended the High Note Music Festival in South Hadley, MA on Friday, May 17. The group received an Excellent rating and placed first in the String Orchestra category. Mr. Kay and Mr. Fenster are pictured here with members of the orchestra at Six Flags New England. The students had a great time at the park!

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NYSSMA

Orchestra students participated in the annual NYSSMA recital the evening of April 29, in the Little Theater at Bethpage High School. Accompanist Yen Yen Haas is pictured with students and Mr. Kay. Congratulations to all participants!

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April is National Gardening Month

You wouldn't believe it by the temperature but April is National Gardening Month. To celebrate, the JFK Library hosted local business owner Frank DiMaggio of DiMaggio Landscaping and Garden Center on South Oyster Bay Road during lunch periods on April 15th. Mr. DiMaggio spoke to the students about gardening and growing vegetables on Long Island and answered a lot of great and well-informed questions.

The students also had the opportunity to plant some vegetable seeds of their choosing to take home and watch grow. Hopefully, many Bethpage families will be literally reaping the benefits of the students' plantings in a couple of months!

Finally, four students were selected by a raffle to win $25 gift certificates to DiMaggio Landscaping. The winners were Sophia Kieseheuer, Alex Johneas, Brian Saccone and Kaylagh Walsh.

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TGIF

JFK had another great turnout for TGIF with over 200 students showing up to play basketball, dodgeball, ping pong, karaoke, board games and eat some delicious pizza! Thanks to all the teachers, staff and Mr. Franchi and Mr. Schneider for organizing the event!

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Art Show

On Tuesday April 23rd, JFK Middle School hosted its annual Art Show. The exhibit featured a masterpiece from each and every art student. There were drawings, paintings, sculptures and interesting mixed media work on display. Members of the chorus and band provided entertainment with their beautiful music. Mrs. Bula, Mrs. Schneider, Ms. Norris and Mrs. Herman are proud of all of the students and were glad to share their accomplishments with the community.

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21st Century Integrity: Willy Wonka!

In conjunction with JFK's character education program, students met to discuss the April trait of the month. A group met with Ms. Maloney and Ms. Okita to discuss integrity. First, students took a survey to test their own integrity. After discussing how they can show integrity in their own lives, they watched the classic movie, "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory". While viewing the film, they were asked to keep track of the characters and decide whether they thought each character showed or lacked the character trait of integrity. Finally, they created Wanted posters for the characters that they felt lacked integrity.

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JFK Patriot’s Pen Essay Winners

The Patriot’s Pen Essay competition gives 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students an opportunity to express their opinion on a patriotic theme and improve their writing skills. This year’s themes was; “What Would I Tell America’s Founding Fathers?” The winners of the contest were:

8th grade: Emily Hedquist, Alivia Cioffi, Philip Shirinian

7th grade: Sabrina Johnson, Evanna Plakos, Marissa Parisi

6th grade: Elizabeth Cobb, Chelsea Welsch, Austin Berman, Samantha Borgese, Connor Woods, Joshua Wilson

Congratulations to the winning entries and all of the students who participated in the competition.

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21st Century - Multi-Ethnic Eating Tour

On Sunday, April 7th, students from JFK Middle School enjoyed a multi-ethnic eating tour of the Lower East Side with Mrs. Saur, Mrs. Curran, Mr. Catterson, and Mrs. Mahoney. This tour combined the history of the diverse Lower East Side starting on Delancey Street with a series of small food sampling, or “noshing” stops from local shops and markets and ended in Little Italy with a cannoli and gelato ice cream.

The main focus of the tour was the history of the multi-ethnic Lower East Side emphasizing the neighborhoods of the Jewish East Side, Little Italy, and Chinatown. During the course of the walk, students sampled about 10 different items, representing the Dominican, Jewish, Italian, & Chinese communities of the Lower East Side. Most of the items were vegetarian or dairy. All of the food sampling was done outside in a park or on the sidewalks of markets & shops. It was a wonderful experience for the students to sample foods they never had before as well as combing history on this refreshing, spring like day.

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Montreal Trip

The JFK seventh and eighth grade French Classes enjoyed a wonderful trip to Montreal from March 16th through 19th. Some of the activitites we enjoyed were: ice skating, visiting Notre Dame cathedral (where Celine Dion got married), going to the science center, the biodome, the Olympic tower, the top of Mont Royal, the "récréathèque" amusement center, and shopping in the underground mall. The weather was cold and we left in a snowstorm, but that did not hamper our fantastic time.

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21st Century- SAVERS

On a brisk, yet sunny March day, students from JFK Middle School ventured out to SAVERS in Holbrook with Mrs. Klein, Mrs. Keller and Mrs. Quinn.

SAVERS is no ordinary thrift store. As a leader and pioneer in the retail thrift industry, they're a place where people from all backgrounds love to shop for great selection, deals and treasures. But there’s also a higher purpose for what we do. Savers was founded in 1954 on principles such as giving back and providing opportunities—core values we still embrace today.

All of our students donated clothing to the store. We toured the backroom to see how the items are classified to either sell in the store or ship to a third-world country. We all shopped with our 20% coupon, which we received because we donated. The bus ride home was fun. We were all sharing what bargains we found at SAVERS.

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Map Making

25 students participated in a hands-on map making activity. They created a topographical map of India, home to over one billion people and the 2nd most populated country on earth. They used homemade clay and paint to create their map with its various landforms. This activity was open only to grade six students since it is part of their social studies curriculum. The activity took place on Tuesday March 5th and Tuesday March 12th , with Mrs. Saur, Mrs. Klein and Mrs. Curran lending a helpful hand.

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Anti - Bullying Awareness Day

JFK Middle School participated in Bullying Prevention Awareness Week from February 19th-22nd. Each day the students viewed anti-bullying videos during Homeroom which were then followed up by activities created by teachers from the building’s anti-bullying committee.

On Thursday, February 21st our school dedicated the entire day to raising awareness about bullying. The students participated in a variety of workshops and activities on bullying and bullying prevention. Guest presenter Kylie Morgan performed for the students with her message about good decision making and anti–bullying. Mr. Schneider, Mr. Fullerton and the PPS staff conducted a student workshop on the school’s anti-bullying culture through the use of the documentary, Bully The Movie. The day concluded with the unveiling of a Bullying Awareness Banner.

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Family Math Day

Thanks to all the teacher, administrator, parent and student volunteers who made Family Math Day such a success! Bethpage was proud to host this event. Congratulations to our Math Director Mr. Titolo for the quality of the event. Thanks to our food service, custodial and security staff!

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Coat of Arms

Many students at JFK Middle School participated in this medieval activity that Mrs. Klein and Mr. Catterson ran. Session 1 had the students designing their Coat of Arm. The history behind these Coats was explained. The Coat of Arm that each student created stood for various character traits each possess. On Session 2, they shared their Coat of Arm with the others in the class. The Coats of Arms were laminated then returned to the children. coat of arms was custom-made to fit the characteristics of the knight

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Math Counts

On Tuesday, February 12, Jessica Nardulli, Michelle Luo, Julie Grzybowski, Smiti Shah, Jason Glickman, Evanna Plakas, Zach Zapata, Shanaz Deen, Emily Liang, and Andrew Stern participated at the Annual Mathcounts competition at Hofstra University. Twelve schools in Nassau County sent teams to the competion, as well as some individual students from schools without a Mathcounts club. JFK Middle school came in 6th place in the overall school competition. Our students learned to solve difficult problems beyond the scope of our regular curriculum, and also learned to work together as a team to discuss and solve problems. Ms. Noreman is proud of our JFK students!

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21st Century: Chocolate Making

In order to celebrate Valentine's Day, a group of JFK students met to make chocolate for their loved ones. On February 4th and 11th, students met with Ms. Maloney, Ms. Okita, Ms. Pizzuto and Ms. Vitiello to learn all about making chocolate. Students watched a video that described how chocolate is made from picking the cocoa beans all the way to wrapping up our favorite Hershey's candies. Students were able to melt and mold their own chocolate pieces and created lollipops and pieces like hearts, teddy bears, dolphins, clowns, snowmen and much more. Everyone had a great time!

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Challenger Basketball

The Bethpage Challenger Basketball team was treated to a day of training and practice with the Wizards, a professional basketball team that will be playing in Bethpage later this school year. The Wizards were great instructors and we learned a lot! The big home game for the Challenger Team is February 26. Everyone is invited to attend!

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Music Festival

Congratulations to the 47 Bethpage students who participated in the recent Nassau Music Educators Association All County Music Festival held at the Tilles Center. We were proud of our student performers as well as Mr. Eric Kay who was chairperson of the orchestra. Nice going!

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JFK Geography Bee

All 6th, 7th, and 8th graders competed in JFK’s Geography Bee. This annual event is run through the National Geographic Society. All classroom winners were provided a certificate for their accomplishments.

Caden Kenny - McGowan, 6th grade student from Ms. Klein’s social studies class won the school-wide Bee and the two runner ups were 6th grade student Sophia Suazo also from Ms. Klein’s social studies class and 7th grade student T.J. Foley from Ms. Mastellone’s social studies class.

Caden Kenny - McGowan also took a state qualifying exam to determine whether or not he will move on to the state finals.

Congratulations to all of the students

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21st Century: Newspaper Search and Find

On Monday January 14th, a group of JFK students met with Ms. Maloney and Ms. Okita to play in a newspaper scavenger hunt. The group discussed the sections of the newspaper and how to read and locate information in the Newsday. The game was based on the show Jeopardy and each category was a different section of the newspaper. Students read about current events through using skills such as cause and effect, vocabulary in context, close reading and more. Thank you to all the students who participated and congratulations to the winners Matt Granata, Justin Torres and Matthew Michelson!

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Long Island String Festival Association

Emily Liang (violin) and Attilio Vosilla (double bass) were selected to participate in the Long Island String Festival Association's Elementary and Middle School Festival in February, 2013.

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JFK Badminton

The JFK Badminton team is now officially a DYNASTY! The girls 7th and 8th grade team finished the season undefeated at 8-0. That makes three undefeated seasons in a row for them, with a record of 27-0-1 over that span. Congratulations to all the players and to Coach Perez!

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21st Century: Internet Scavenger Hunt

A group of JFK students met with Mr. Felsten and Ms. Maloney after school on December 5th. Students discussed how to conduct research by using internet sources. They used a program that was recently introduced to the district called Achieve3000. On this program, they read an article about how to find reliable sources and whether the famous site, Wikipedia, is reliable. Then, they worked in groups to find information for a scavenger hunt. Students had a great time and learned interesting facts about the day they were born, science, math, sports, music and much more!

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2013 Nassau Music Educators Association All-County Festival Orchestra

JFK orchestra students were selected for the 2013 Nassau Music Educators Association All-County Festival Orchestra.  Pictured are (L to R): Andrei Aziz, Michelle Luo, Dana Chan (picture 1), Josephine Kim (picture 2).
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Tiny Tom Turkey Cards

On Wednesday, November 21st, JFK students gobbled up the opportunity to make Tiny Tom Turkey Cards in the Library. Using index cards, ink, fingertips and markers, students stamped up a flock of Thanksgiving cards to give to their loved ones over the break.

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Cupstacking

Congratulations to JFK Students and teachers who participated in the 2012 STACK UP! A new world record of 412,259 was broken with more than 2,600 schools and organizations representing 30 countries from around the world participated on Guinness World Records Day, November 15th. Each student received a special Guiness World Record certificate for their participation. Mrs Muller and Ms Okita facilitated this international event for the "Most People Sport Stacking at Multiple Locations in One Day."

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21st Century: Creating a Thanksgiving Dinner

A group of JFK students met with Ms. Maloney and Ms. Okita on November 19th in celebration of Thanksgiving. Students worked in teams to create Thanksgiving dinner shopping lists. They discussed the items that they would need to buy and comparison shopped between several supermarkets. Each team was given a budget and the students needed to stay within their budget to feed a large family for Thanksgiving. All the students worked really hard and learned how to be smart shoppers. They had a great time! In addition, each student brought nonperishable food items to donate to a local food pantry.

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21st Century: Math Dice Games

A group of JFK students met with Ms. Maloney and Ms. Okita on November 26th after school. Students worked as groups and played several math dice games that involved skills in multiplication, division, probability and exponents. They practiced these skills while having a great time. They also were able to play the classic dice game of Yahtzee. A fun time was had by all!

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Long Island String Festival

Students from John F. Kennedy Middle School were selected to participate in the Long Island String Festival Junior High School Orchestra. Pictured (L to R) are Andrei Aziz, Michelle Luo, and Dana Chan.

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500th Book

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21st Century: Math Playing Cards

On October 15th, a group of JFK students met with Ms. Maloney and Ms. Okita to play math related card games. Students practiced valuable math skills such as multiplication facts, adding and subtracting fractions, mean, median, mode, range and more. Students worked in teams and had a great time!

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21st Century: Word Games

On November 13th, a group of JFK students met with Ms. Maloney and Ms. Okita to play a series of word games. Students played games like boggle, scattegories, word scrambles and crosswords. Students really had to put their thinking caps on! They worked in teams and had a great time!

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JFK Goes to BHS

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JFK Spirit Week

Each year, the students, staff, and faculty of JFK Middle School show their spirit for their school and community by coming together for Spirit Week. By honoring their favorite decade on Decade Day, coming to school in their craziest hat, wearing their favorite sports jersey, pajamas, or Bethpage blue & gold, the students of JFK work together to show their spirit.

The culmination of Spirit Week is a battle for bragging rights where each grade and a faculty team participates in team building events such as the obstacle course, basketball shoot-out, letter game, and the sentence scramble.

Thanks to all who participated and showed their school spirit!

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New York Philharmonic

JFK orchestra students attended a performance of the New York Philharmonic on October 19th, at Avery Fisher Hall in New York. Violinist Augustin Hadelich performed Lalo's "Symphonie Espagnole" and conductor Rafael Fruhbeck de Burgos led the orchestra in the Symphonie Fantastique, by Hector Berlioz. Our young musicians enjoyed the performance and had a great time in New York City.

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Halloween Dance

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JFK Cheer Teams

On October 13, girls from the 7th and 8th grade JFK cheer teams marched in the Homecoming parade. Being a part of the infectious spirit of the day and bearing witness to the fantastic high school floats was truly an amazing experience. Thanks to all the girls who participated. Can't wait til next year!

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Pep Rally

This was our second pep rally at JFK, which was full of cheer and spirit from all students, faculty and staff. It was truly an amazing experience seeing students, faculty and staff come together to support a great school.

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TGIF

TGIF also kicked off this year. Approximately 350 students arrived at BHS where they had a chance to swim, sing karaoke, play board games, ping pong, watch a movie and play some basketball ball. This was a great way to spend a Friday night and was enjoyed by all students and staff.

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THE PREAMBLE CHALLENGE

In recognition of Constitution Day, JFK students participated in a Preamble Challenge contest. Over fifty students successfully memorized and recited correctly all of the words in The Preamble to the Constitution. One student from each grade level won the contest as they recited the words correctly in the shortest amount of time. The overall grade level winners of the contest were:

Amanda O’Neill – Grade 6 (7.9 seconds)

Jeremy Miller – Grade 7 (6.6 seconds)

Amy Kappel – Grade 8 (6.5 seconds)

The students were awarded certificates for their accomplishments and had a pizza lunch with Mr. Schneider and Mr. Fullerton. Congratulations to all of the students who participated.

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Project Adventure

The 7th grade students at JFK had a wonderful day at Project Adventure at the Boces Outdoor Center. Groups worked together to meet challenges which facilitate problem solving, cooperation, communication, trust-building, risk-taking, and awareness of self and others. This was done through games, and mental and physical obstacles such as the cable bridge, "Monster Feet", and climbing the low wall.

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ACTIVITY FAIR A SUCCESS AT JFK

JFK held a successful Activity Fair that introduced students and parents to the many extra curricular clubs that are offered at JFK.

The Activity Fair was for students and took place after school on Thursday, September 20th in the Cafeteria. The students visited the various booths and signed up for different clubs. An additional Activity Fair was held for the parents during Back to School Night.

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Rock, Paper, Scissors Showdown

The 1st Annual Rock, Paper, Scissors Showdown in the Library was a great success. Over 60 students participated in the first round of the competition during Lunch periods. The semi-finalists - Brooke Tanner, Morgan Heller, Kyle Krummenacker, and Brian Seeley competed to become RPS Ultimate Champion. In the end, Morgan Heller was victorious!

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JFK Library Mascot Names

The Eagle has landed in the Cozy Corner at the JFK Library. A contest was held to name our new mascot. Out of over 70 submissions, Sal Signa's suggestion of Eggwardo was chosen as the winner by the library staff. Congratulations to Sal! Come visit Eggwardo in his new nest at the JFK Library.

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Kidsday Interview

In May, a group of JFK students interviewed Chris Colfer in the city.

http://long-island.newsday.com/kids/kidsday-articles-interviews-and-more-1.1303974

Moving On Ceremony

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Metropolitan Museum of Art trip- June 9, 2012

On a cloudy June day, Mrs. Klein, Mrs. Moquin, Mrs. Beltrani and Ms. Robb chaperoned a group of 6th graders into NYC to visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Their destination was to toured the Egyptian, Greek and Roman galleries. They were also able to tour the Arms and Armors and the American galleries as well. Their final destination was the gift shop because in the words of the Romans: "Tutte le strade portano a Gift Shop": "All roads lead to the gift shop". All had a great day.

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Newsies

Stop the Presses! Ms. Cooper and Ms. McCarthy took 25 students to see Newsies the Musical on June 8th! Newsies is based on the story of the Newsboys Strike of 1899 in New York City and is the tale of newsboy Jack Kelly, who dreams of a better life far from the hardship of the streets. Students attended a pre-session where they learned about Broadway theater etiquette and got a sneak preview of some of the songs in the musical. In the post-session, students created their own Playbills. A great time was had by all!

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JFK PTA 2012-2013 School Supply Kit

The JFK PTA has extended the deadline for ordering next year's supply kit. Please click on the link to download the supply kit form (pdf). All orders need to be turned in to the JFK main office no later than June 20, 2012.

Click Here for Supply List

Praise to an Elementary Teacher

A teacher can have a major influence on a child's life. We have a multitude of amazing teachers in this district, but there is always one who has instilled in us an incredible work ethic or has taught us to set high self-standards. This activity worked nicely with the Character Education and Literacy Programs in the middle school.

Mrs. Mulholland and Mrs. Klein asked the children to think of an elementary school teacher who had made a difference in their early school lives. In the two day activity, we had the children read a letter of praise to recognize and understand what praise looks like in writing. To help the children organize their thoughts on paper, we had them complete a questionnaire on that teacher. The questions were then arranged into paragraphs to create that letter. We took the old fashion route and had them handwrite a letter to their elementary teacher.

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Democracy in Action

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JFK Orchestra

JFK Orchestra students attended a performance by the New York Philharmonic at Avery Fisher Hall in New York on Friday, May 4. Conductor Alan Gilbert led the orchestra in a performance of Dvorak's Carnival Overture and the world premiere of Magnus Lindberg's Concerto Number 2, with soloist Yefim Bronfman. The concert closed with a dynamic performance of Tchaikovsky's Fourth Symphony.

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21st Century: BINGO

On Monday, May 14th JFK students attended a BINGO activity. Students met with Ms. Maloney and Ms. Okita to compete in various Bingo games. The topics ranged from geometry, state capitals, parts of speech and animal classification to bullying prevention, Disney and football. Students were given definitions or trivia questions about the terms so that they needed to not only find them on their Bingo boards but also understand them. We learned new facts and had a great time doing it!

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JFK Honor Society Trip

The JFK Junior Society Trip to Baltimore and Philadelphia went extremely well. Students were able to get to many attractions including Fort McHenry, Maryland Science Center, Independence Hall, Liberty Bell, Franklin Institute and more. Everyone had a great time and the students received numerous complements from hotel, restaurant and museum staff. Thanks to the teachers for making all the arrangements, especially our Advisor Ms. Mastellone!

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21st century: Mother's Day Gifts

JFK students met after school with Ms. Okita and Ms. Maloney throughout the month of April. Students learned how to hand sew. Using felt fabric, they created tote bags for a Mother's Day gift. They were able to choose their own colors and use a pattern for their own chosen designs. The students had a great time and were able to create beautiful gifts for a special woman in their lives.

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Recognition of Excellence Dinner

At our Annual Recognition of Excellence Dinner, nine Bethpage High School students chose an elementary, middle and high school teacher who had a positive influence on them. It was a great night as the students spoke with great poise and maturity and the teachers were recognized for their long hours and dedication to assisting children. Thanks to everyone including the BHS Jazz Ensemble for their stellar performance! The parents had much to be proud of on this evening!

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JFK Art Show

Congratulations to all the students for their fine work displayed at this year’s Art Show! There is a lot of talent at JFK! Thanks to all our teachers for their support! And thanks to the students who performed musical numbers during the show!

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Visit to Adelphi

On Sunday April 22nd, students from JFK joined Ms. Robb, Ms. Maloney, and Ms. Okita on a tour of Adelphi University during Accepted Students Day. The group met with Richard Garner, Dean of the Honors College, Associate Dean Diane Della Croce, and Professor Mary Jean McCarthy to discuss the expectations faced by students applying to college. The educators stressed the importance of reading novels throughout middle school and high school as well as exploring those subjects the students find to be the most inspiring. The group also enjoyed a tour of campus provided by enthusiastic student tour guide, Jenna. What a fantastic day! Thank you to all who attended.

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Family and Consumer Science Students

Our letters unit was enhanced with the help of the play dough created by the 7th grade Family and Consumer Science Students taught by Mr. Scarola at JFK. Maddie Molina was our teacher for period five and had our "little friends" form and create the letters of the alphabet with the play dough. As always our little friends were assisted and guided by their big friends.

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TGIF April

It was another great TGIF event and a great way to end two weeks of ELA and Math testing! Thanks to all our teachers for coming out on a Friday to have fun with us!

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Ms. Greco - Top Teacher

Congratulations to our very own Ms. Greco who has been named a finalist in Live with Kelly! Top Teacher contest! We are all very proud of her work! She was nominated by Mrs. Ingenito, a JFK parent, particularly for her work with our Challenger Basketball team. Now everyone in Bethpage has to go to the site and vote for Ms. Greco! Go to: http://dadt.com/live/contest/topteachersearch/12/vote/

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The Hunger Games Book and Movie are Both Winners

There's been a lot of excitement surrounding the release of The Hunger Games movie around the world and right here at JFK. The Library held a review contest asking students to rate the movie and compare and contrast the film version to the books. 6th grader Kaylagh Walsh's review was randomly selected as the winner out of many entries. Kaylagh won a copy of The Hunger Games: Tribute Guide by Emily Seife donated by 6th grade Literacy Workshop teacher, Ms. Forgione.

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Come Visit the Cozy Corner

The people have spoken and the results are in...the new lounge area in the JFK Library is now called the Cozy Corner. The idea for the name was submitted by 6th grader, Victoria Bock. The Library received many naming contest entries which were narrowed down to three by the Read Day Committee. JFK students selected the winner through an online poll during lunch periods. Victoria won a Bethpage Eagles pillow handcrafted by ELL teacher Ms. Lishansky.

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Youth Lacrosse Clinic

Over 250 youngsters came out to participate in the Battle at Bethpage Youth Lacrosse Clinic. Youngsters were treated to small group instruction on lacrosse skills from the talented players of Drexel and UMass. Thanks to all the college players for helping us with our game. Special thanks to Drexel Coach Voelker and UMass Coach Canella for coming out with their teams and talking to the children about athletics and the importance of good school habits. We also appreciate all the BHS athletes who assisted with the event! It was fantastic!

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21st Century: Scrapbooking

JFK students proved their creativity once again! A group of students met with Ms. Maloney and Ms. Okita to create scrapbooking lay outs. They learned techniques such as layering, collage, bordering and how to choose colors using the color wheel. They created memories that they will be able to look back on and share with their families.

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News 12 Tour

On Wednesday, March 28th, the JFK Academy, accompanied by Ms. Fetner and Ms. Pizzuto, went on a tour of News12. The group was thrilled to meet meteorologist Samantha Augieri and reporters, Eileen Lephamer and Shari Einhorn. They also got to meet the behind the scenes staff. One of the many highlights was getting to see the studio and sit in the anchors’ chair. The boys asked many questions and learned that the cameras are robotic and it takes a large staff to produce the news each day. This day will not be forgotten!

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Voice of Democracy

Congratulations to the winners of the VFW Voice of Democracy contest. The students created works on patriotism that were reviewed by the veterans. We congratulate our winners and appreciated the service of all our veterans!

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JFK Pi-Day 2012

JFK’s third annual Pi-day contest was held on Wednesday, March 14, 2012. 25 students attended and enjoyed singing pi songs and eating pi-cookies! The event was run by Ms. Noreman and Ms. O’Sullivan. Special thanks to the Academy students as well as the HS ACE students for baking us delicious and beautiful pi shaped and pi decorated cookies!

19 brave students recited digits of pi to be included in our JFK pi club! Michelle Luo finished in first place and recited 400 digits of pi. This was a new record for JFK! Emily Dean also stunned the audience by reciting 323 digits. Matthew Heym finished in third place and recited 200 digits of pi.

Honorable mention goes to Jenna Skaferowsky, who recited 68 digits, Jessica Nardulli, who recited 67 digits and David Shapiro, with 60 digits memorized.

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JFK Spring Party

On Friday, March 16th JFK held a Spring Party for all students. The party was sponsored and organized by the PTA. The theme of the party was “Casino Night.” Students enjoyed a variety of games, such as, Plinko, Spin the Wheel, Deal or No Deal, Roll the Dice and Pick a Card. Students turned their winning tokens in for cool prizes. There was something fun for everyone including, a Hot Dog Cart, Cotton Candy, Popcorn and great music. Thanks to the PTA for planning such a wonderful event.

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21st Century: Mancala

JFK students met after school on March 19th and 26th with Ms. Maloney and Ms. Okita to learn about the ancient game of Mancala. The students learned the African and Egyptian origin of the game and how to play. They created their own Mancala boards from cutting and painting old egg cartons. Everyone had a great time and got a chance to play against their classmates on the boards they created!

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Egyptian Jeopardy

Students and parents were active participants in Ms Klein's Egyptian Jeopardy exercise. They answered some very tough questions about the culture and history of Egypt and everyone was surprised when Cleopatra was there in person! Thanks to everyone for participating and congratulations to Ms. Klein (alias Cleopatra) for organizing the entire event!

 

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JFK Science Fairs

Melissa Cao won first place at the LI Science and Engineering Fair division for middle school and will move on to the next round-awesome for a rigorous competition! Her experiment was on the effect of carbon dioxide on seed germination and seedling growth.

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Quebec Trip

From March 1st to March 4th, JFK French students, as well as two 9th graders, went to Quebec ,Canada under the supervision of French teacher, Madame Ciarniello, and chaperones, Mrs. Sciglabaglio and Mr. Rodriguez. Everyone had a fantastic time with such exciting activities as snow tubing and dog-sledding. We also visited the Ice Hotel, the Montmorency Water Falls, and the beautiful Saint Anne's Basilica. Our last activity was an inter-active experience in which we learned how soldiers lived in the 1800's. What a great trip!

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Bethpage Rocks

The JFK Middle School and Bethpage High School Orchestras rocked the house before a crowd of 800 people under the direction of Mark Wood. Mark was a founding member of the Trans-Siberian Orchestra. Students played a number of great songs along with his electronic violin. Thanks to Mark and all the student performers. Thanks to Mr. Kay for making all the arrangements. Mark donated an electronic violin he makes and Moms and Dads raffled it off and raised $1,100 for the orchestra program.

It was a great evening! Visit Mark’s website at: http://www.markwoodmusic.com

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Kitchen Chemistry

Click Here for Video

Long Island Math Fair

Congratulations to 7th grader Jessica Nardulli,who participated in the Al Kalfus LI Math Fair at Hofstra University on Friday, March 2nd . Jessica was chosen as one of the winners in the preliminary round of judging and now moves on to the final round of judging in April. Good Luck Jessica.

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Woodlands

On a brisk, yet sunny Sunday morning, students joined Mrs. Klein and Ms. Robb for a tour of the Woodland's Catering hall and golfing grounds in Woodbury. They were told the history of the mansion and grounds and shown the ballroom, bridal suite, drawing room, kitchen and several smaller catering rooms upstairs. In the ballroom, a table was beautifully set. It was explained to us the use of all the utensils surrounding the plate. Mrs. Bower also explained the proper procedure to serve a guest .

As men were golfing, Mrs. Bower was explaining the 120 -acre estate. We walked to where a wedding ceremony could be held outdoors.

As our tour came to an end, Mrs. Bower explained how our students could get into the hospitality industry. At age 16, they could start off as a Runner or Bus Person. They could then work their way up in the industry to management with a strong work ethic. A seed has been planted in their minds.

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Reading Across Bethpage

On March 2, 2012, all the district's schools celebrated the joy of reading in our annual "Read Across Bethpage Day." Students in all five buildings enjoyed a number of fun and exciting activities from author visits to reading with younger classmates to listening to our wonderful guest readers. It was a great day for everyone!

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Mardi Gras

The Middle School and High School French classes celebrated Mardi Gras on Feb. 28th (a week late, due to the February vacation). We enjoyed croissants and home-made crepes with everyone's favorite filling--Nutella. The students also received Mardi Gras beads and made colorful masks.

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Spiderman

On Feb 16th, 2012 Ms. Cooper and Ms McCarthy did a 21st century trip to NYC to see Spiderman the Musical. There were 25 students on the trip which consisted of 6th, 7th, and 8th graders. The show featured music from U2 and was a rock musical. The sets, costumes, special effects, and scenery were fantastic. Everyone enjoyed the show!

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Anti-Bullying Day

On Wednesday, February 15th JFK Middle School dedicated the entire day to raising awareness about bullying. The students attended a variety of workshops and activities on bullying and bullying prevention. Guest Speaker Bobby Petrocelli spoke to the students about good decision making and anti – bullying. Mr. Schneider and Mr. Fullerton conducted a student workshop on the school’s culture with students anonymously responding to survey questions via their cell phone for immediate feedback and discussion. This was followed by an activity led by the JFK PPS staff, entitled I Matter, You Matter, We Matter. The day concluded with a JFK Stand Together Walk of Unity and the unveiling of a Bullying Awareness Banner.

 

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21st century Newspaper Search and Find

On February 13, 2012, JFK students met with Ms. Maloney and Ms. Okita to participate in a current events activity. Everyone reviewed the sections of the newspaper and strategies on how to read current event articles. Skills such as reading comprehension, inferencing, context clues, and DBQ's were all practiced. Students had a great time working in teams. Thank you to all the students who competed. The winning team was "Sparkles and Stripes", Alyssa DeStefano, Rebecca Diers and Deanna Lazo.

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Read Across Bethpage

Click Here for Story

Memory Sculptures

On January 23, 2012, a group of JFK students met with Ms. Maloney and Ms. Okita to create memory sculptures. These sculptures were three dimensional pieces that represented a special memory that they have. Among these memories were family vacations to Disney World, going to NYSSMA, family cruises, and winning trophies. Students used only white paper and glue or tape to create these sculptures. They shared their memories with eachother through writing as well. Everyone had a great time and showed just how creative JFK students are!

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Young Author’s Contest

On January 11th, 12th, 18th and 19th, students at JFK participated in the Nassau Reading Council Young Authors’ Contest for 21st Century. With over 25 students participating, students had to write a personal narrative completely on their own. Judges, Mr. Kramer, Ms. McCarthy and Ms. Zito had a hard time choosing only 5 entries for each grade. All entries will be displayed on the principal’s wall of fame bulletin board over the next few weeks. Thank you to all who participated.

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ARTS ALIVE

On Jan 26th, 2012 Ms. Cooper and Mrs. Saur went on a field trip to "Arts Alive" which is a program that focuses on music and art. There were 20 students in 6th, and 7th grade that attended. The day was filled with music and art workshops including musical theatre, water coloring and so much more. It was a great learning experience!

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KINEX TOYS and DNA

Students in Ms. Bennardo and Ms. Labriola’s classes used Kinex toys to construct a model of DNA. This model was then used to study the different parts of DNA and DNA replication.

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CSI Bethpage

On January, 31st students from JFK attended a field trip to the NY Times Dsicovery Center in NYC. Students participated in the CSI: Experience exhibit where they used their detective skills learned in their 21st Century CSI Bethpage activity. Students were first given time to view a crime scene and gather evidence. Later in the day they were able to analyze the evidence in the lab using toxicology, forensic entomology, DNA analysis as well as latent prints and impression evidence. JFK students cracked the case and gathered enough evidence to issue warrants for the arrest of the accused.

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Geography Bee

All 6th, 7th, and 8th graders competed in JFK’s Geography Bee. This annual event is run through the National Geographic Society. All classroom winners were provided a certificate for their accomplishments.

Philip Atkins, a grade 7 student from Ms. Mastellone’s social studies class won the school-wide Bee and the runner up was Jason Maund from Ms. Klein’s social studies class. Philip Atkins also took a state qualifying exam to determine whether or not he will move on to the state finals.

Congratulations to all of the students who participated in this event.

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21st Century: Team Gale vs. Team Peeta vs. Team Katniss Change Drive

Hunger Games Change Drive

 

Over twenty eighth graders participated in the kick-off event for the Team Peeta vs. Team Gale vs. Team Katniss Change Drive for the Lustgarten Foundation. All eighth grade students are reading The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (http://www.scholastic.com/thehungergames/) in English class. The main characters, Peeta, Gale and Katniss exhibit the character trait of courage throughout the book. In class, students discussed how each character demonstrated courage by their actions. Afterwards, students contributed change to the collection jar representing their favored character. All money raised will be donated as part of JFK's ongoing efforts to support the Lustgarten Foundation (http://www.lustgarten.org/). During the 21st Century kick-off event, students decorated t-shirts and change collections jars in the Library with Ms. McCarthy, Ms. Phillips and Ms. Zito. The t-shirts were worn the next day in order to create enthusiasm among classmates for the change drive. See the photo gallery for pictures.

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All Cracked Up

On a cold Saturday afternoon, students gathered with Mrs. Klein, at Dr. Reiss' Chiropractic office in Plainview for All Cracked Up. We learned the difference between chiropractic and medical care. Dr. Reiss showed us X-Rays, demonstrated how our nerves send messages throughout our body; by having kids represent the brain, the nerves and the body part. He mentioned the benefits of being a chiropractor: making your own hours, meeting many different people, healing with his hands and being able to do what he loves anywhere he wants. Dr. Reiss informed us that exercise, nutrition, sleep, a proper mental attitude and chiropractic care all lend to good health. The kids watched a chiropractic adjustment of the spinal cord. They left with a handful of products.

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Tenement Museum

21st Century Scholars visited NYC's Tenement Museum to see living conditions for America's immigrants. Thanks to Ms. Smith, Mr. Brace, and Ms. Mastellone for making the arrangements! Everyone had a great time!

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Winter Caroling

A group of JFK students participated in a winter caroling activity for the 21st Century Scholars Program. The carolers met three nights in December to walk through Bethpage and visit the homes of some of our neighbors. Students sang winter songs in order to spread holiday cheer to all. They really showed the true meaning of the holidays!

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Denny's Field Trip

The JFK Academy recently took a field trip to the restaurant Denny’s for brunch. This trip was the culmination of a speech project on restaurant vocabulary, procedure, adding tax and tip. Mrs. Keller, Ms. Jennings, Mrs. Pizzuto, Mrs. Fetner and Mr. Schneider all joined the students for the delicious brunch. A good time was had by all.

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Cohen’s Children’s Medical Center (formerly Schneider’s Children’s Hospital)

This Life and Career skills activity provided an opportunity for students to be educated about the functions of a stand alone children’s hospital directly from one of its staff members. Dr. James Schneider, attending Pediatric Intensive Care Unit physician and Director of the Hofstra Medical School Fellowship program visited students at JFK to describe the functions and team members of the various supports encompassing the health care available at the hospital.

Additionally, this activity provided a way for our students to show their appreciation to the staff at Cohen’s Children’s Medical Center who work effortlessly to improve the lives of children in this area. The students created gift baskets with homemade cookies and wrote hand made thank you cards to the staff members. Principal David Schneider and Family and Consumer Science teacher Tom Scarola visited the hospital and delivered the baskets on behalf of their students.

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Poe House

21st Century Scholars visited the home of Edgar Alan Poe in Connecticut thanks to Ms. Green, Ms. Klein, Ms. Robb and Ms. Ahronheim. Everyone had a great time learning about the life of one of our greatest writers!

Click Here for Pictures

Taking Responsibility for Your Community

During the month of November the character education trait emphasized at JFK was “Responsibility.” The JFK Middle School took responsibility for the community by collecting non-perishable food items. The 7th grade Blue team demonstrated the greatest sense of responsibility as they donated the most amount of food. As a “thank you” to the students of the 7th grade Blue team a pancake breakfast was provided by the administration and character education committee. Over 1000 pounds of food was collected for the community. It was a great opportunity to teach the meaning of responsibility for others, as well as sharing and caring for members of our community.

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Peace Mentoring Program

On Monday, November 28, 2011 JFK Middle School and Bethpage H.S. students combined to make history. This was the first session in our P.E.A.C.E. Mentor Program. (P.E.A.C.E stands for Pride, Empathy, Acceptance, Compassion, and Empowerment) The High School students working with Ms. Padalino’s 8th grade health classes are members of Mrs. Kennedy’s SADD Program. The students have been working with Mrs. Kennedy to fine tune their mentoring skills. The goal is to have our high school student’s model and practice with our middle school students situations they may be facing in their teenage years. So far the program is off to an amazing start; the students were broken up into small groups and participated in ice breaker activities. In the future we will be dealing with topics such as: peer pressure, conflict resolution, relationship issues, as well as social communication.

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Basketball Preview

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Child Study Workshop

Mr. Scarola's 7th and 8th grade Family and Consumer Science Classes had their first lab in the kitchens. They didn't cook something they could eat. Instead they cooked something to give away. They made play dough for the Child Study Workshop class run by Mrs. Schneider in the High School. The play dough will be used to help create lesson plans for the 4 year olds in the community. He delivered the huge box himself and surprised the high school students. Thanks JFK and Mr. Scarola for keeping the community connection strong.

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Alice in Wonderland

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Pictures Continued

Friday Video #1

Friday Video #2

Saturday Video #1

Saturday Video #2

Thanksgiving Craft

Close to a hundred students participated in this year's Thanksgiving craft activity in the JFK Library. Students were able to come during their lunch to create a Turkey Luminaria using paper bags and tissue paper. For the full instructions to make your own, visit http://familyfun.go.com/crafts/turkey-luminarias-783823/. See photo gallery for pictures of the event.

Happy Thanksgiving from the JFK Library!

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Get Your Game On @ Your Library

JFK celebrated National Gaming Day on Monday, November 14th during all lunch periods. Students played computer games or chose from a variety of board games like Apples to Apples, Monopoly and Battleship. For mroe information about National Gaming Day, visit http://ngd.ala.org/. Check out the photo gallery for pictures from the event.

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Metropolitan Opera

On November 19th, students from Central Blvd. Elementary School, Charles Champagne Elementary School, Kramer Lane Elementary School, and JFK Middle School attended the Metropolitan Opera: Live in HD Program. Accompanying the students for this 21st Century trip were Mrs. McGrath and Ms. Austin. We saw Glass’s Satyagraha at the Westbury UA Theater. For many of the participants it was their first Opera. We were all truly captivated by this performance despite the lack of subtitles. Many audience members complimented the Bethpage students on their spectacular behavior and interest in opera. They were also thrilled to hear that we are the only school district in Long Island that participates in the Metropolitan Opera partnership. Everyone is looking forward to the next Opera, which will be held in December.

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Junior Forensics Trip

Participants in the 21st Century Junior Forensic workshops facilitated by Mrs. Sciglibaglio and Vultaggio, recently attended the Discovery Expo Center - CSI exhibit in Times Square. Three teams of investigators worked to gather evidence to solve three different crime scenes. After gathering evidence, they worked in the laboratory to analyze the data. Finally, they submitted their results to present their culprit. Afterwards, we dined at Dallas BBQ...where the food was delicious and the portions were huge!

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21st Century: National Cup Stacking

JFK Students participated with over 350,000 students world wide in National Cup Stacking Day on November 17, 2011. Students representing over 85 countries participated in this event and JFK students are now included in the Guinness World Book of Records for their participation. JFK Teachers Mrs. Muller and Ms. Okita facilitated the event and all students received a certificate of World Record Day! Click the below link to view photos of students stacking on Nov. 17.

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Alice in Wonderland

The JFK Drama Club put on a fantastic production of Alice in Wonderland! The acting, the singing, the choreography, the set design and the staging were all fabulous! Congratulations to the cast and to Ms. Cooper and Mrs. Shresta for all their hard work! Thanks to all the stage crew folks led by Ms. Kruzynski and Mr. Scarola!

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Letters to Soldiers

Students at JFK worked hard to compose letters to American troops in Iraq, Afghanistan and Qatar during the “Letters to Soldiers” program on November 2nd. With the help of Ms. Grothmann, Ms. Zito and Ms. Fitje, twenty members our military overseas, including friends and family of the staff and even some Bethpage grads will receive notes of gratitude and appreciation before the holidays. Thank you to all of the students and teachers for their efforts.

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21st Century: Goal Setting

On Wednesday, November 9th, 18 students met and discussed Goal Setting with Dr. Richard. Dr. Richard spoke of short-term goals leading to your longer term goals. He had the students share their goals aloud. By doing this, it validated the goal and then others would be able to help them achieve that goal. What was incredible was when Dr. Richard shared his story. Born with Cerebral Palsy, and a learning disability - Dyslexia- Richard went on to get his Ph.D last October 2010. Many said to him 'it could not be done.' He chose not to listen to them and pursued his passion. He is now involved with Schneider's Hospital and will be working with other children with Cerebral Palsy.

Spare Change Drive

JFK Middle School’s PTA held a Giants vs. Jets Spare Change Drive during the recent Book Fair. After purchasing a book, students donated their spare change in the box of their favorite New York football team. In a narrow victory the Giants won the challenge over the Jets. This meant that Mr. Schneider and Mr. Fullerton each had to wear a New York Giants jersey for the entire school day. The PTA raised $150 for the students of JFK. Thanks to all of the students who donated and for the PTA for holding the Spare Change Drive.

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Statue of Liberty 125th Anniversary

Friday, October 28th marks 125 years since the Statue of Liberty was dedicated to the U.S. from France. In celebration of Lady Liberty's Anniversary, JFK students met after school on Tuesday, October 25th. Students researched the history and symbolic meanings of the statue. They also created a bulletin board for all JFK students to view!

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JFK Spooktacular

Close to a hundred students participated in the JFK Library Spooktacular. Librarian Mrs. Phillips and Library Aide Mrs. Quinn hosted the event during lunch periods on Halloween. Students were treated to popcorn and candy and played a trio of ghoulish games: Minute-to-Win-It Witches Brew, Pin the Face on the Jack o' Lantern and the Great Costume Race. Ghost and horror story books were on display. Check out the photo gallery for pictures from the event.

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JFK Dance

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JFK Second Step Program: Promoting Positive Behaviors and Building Good Character

JFK Middle School held their first Period 0 Second Step Day on Thursday, October 13th. All students were exposed to a Character Education lesson on Empathy and Communication during a 50 minute block in the morning. The entire Middle School staff delivered this important lesson to all of the students in the building prior to their regular scheduled classes. Each lesson included audio and visual components with video clips, group discussions, and worksheets that prompted students to apply their skills as they examined various situations. The Second Step Program aims to prevent risky behaviors among students and improve school success through skills emphasized in the classroom.

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Spirit Week

Each year, the students, staff, and faculty of JFK Middle School show their spirit for their school and community by coming together for Spirit Week. By honoring their favorite decade on Decade Day, coming to school in their craziest hat or pajamas, and wearing Bethpage blue & gold, the students of JFK work together to show their spirit.

The culmination of Spirit Week is a battle for bragging rights where each grade and a faculty team participates in team building events such as the obstacle course, basketball shoot-out, letter game, and the sentence scramble.

Thanks to all who participated and showed their school spirit!

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All County Jazz Band

Congratulations to Michael Cipolla for being selected to the All County Jazz Band Division. Only 17 students, out of hundreds who auditioned, get chosen to participate in the All County Jazz Band and Michael will be 1 of only 4 trumpets in the band!

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Pep Rally

To kick off Spirit Week and the Character Trait of Pride, JFK Middle School held a Pep Rally on Monday, October 17th. The event began with the beautiful singing of the National Anthem by 7th grade student Carly Sesti. The 7th and 8th grade cheerleaders energized the crowd with a spectacular cheer routine. All of the student athletes who are currently playing a fall sport for JFK Middle School were introduced along with their coaches. One of the highlights of the event was the Golden Eagle Mascot who distributed mini Bethpage basketballs and Bethpage t-shirts to the excited crowd. The event ended with Eagle’s Voice singing an inspirational rendition of, Don’t Stop Believing. Thanks to everyone who participated in this memorable event.

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Homecoming

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TGIF - October

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The Preamble Challenge

In recognition of Constitution Day, JFK students participated in a Preamble Challenge contest.  Seventy five students successfully memorized and recited correctly all of the words in The Preamble to the Constitution.  Two students from each grade level won the contest as they recited the words correctly in the shortest amount of time.  The overall grade level winners of the contest were:
Jeremy Miller – Grade 6 (7.2 seconds)
Heather Palmer – Grade 6 (7.2 seconds)
 
                             Jack Lewis – Grade 7 (6.9 seconds)
                             Sara Suozo – Grade 7 (6.9 seconds)
 
                             Valerie Kress – Grade 8 (7.8 seconds)
                            
Honorable Mention – Joey Gilio – Grade 6
 
The students were awarded certificates for their accomplishments and Gift Cards to Pappardelle’s.  Congratulations to all of the students who participated.

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Survey

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TGIF

Over 500 students showed up for our first TGIF event of the year! Everyone had a great time! Thanks to Mr. Schneider, Mr. Fullerton and all the JFK teachers who helped out! And thanks to the BHS Custodians and Security staff who took good care of us! Looking forward to the next one!

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JFK Family and Consumer Science Letters

Family & Consumer Science Teachers Tom Scarola & Theresa Schneider from JFK Middle School in Bethpage had students write letters to military personnel over seas in conjunction with Northrop Grumman & the USO.

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Bethpage's Newest Teachers

Congratulations to the new faculty members of the Bethpage School District. They all attended the New Teacher Orientation program where they learned a great deal about our community. Then they took a bus tour narrated by Superintendent Terrence Clark with stops at Cablevision and Northrop-Grumman. The day was arranged by Ms. Lavelle, Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources and everyone is looking forward to the new school year!

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