The District is pleased to announce that elementary teachers Patricia Capobianco (South Street School), Deb Damboise (Eastport Elementary), Jeannette Hooks (Dayton Avenue School) and Jacqueline Osbourne (Eastport Elementary School) have been recognized as iCivics Civic Star Champions for their work teaching civics lessons related to key themes from the Declaration of Independence: freedom, equality and the pursuit of happiness. 

The Civic Star Challenge is a national initiative sponsored by iCivics and the Bill of Rights Institute in honor of America 250 – the upcoming 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. The challenge invited educators nationwide to celebrate this historic milestone by helping students connect the nation’s founding ideals to the responsibilities of citizenship today.  

Through this challenge, teachers engaged students in the exploration of principles that shaped this nation’s democracy by using hands-on lessons, discussions and civic learning activities. Some of the lessons included studies of the American Revolution, the U.S. Constitution and the importance of honoring veterans in society.  

Social Studies Director Dr. Stephen Posselt said he is proud of the iCivics Civic Star Champions’ commitment to civic engagement and education. “These teachers created meaningful classroom experiences that helped students understand their role in a democratic society,” Dr. Posselt said.  Through their dedication, they have helped their classrooms connect with the past, deepen their understanding of citizenship and the values our democracy was built upon.” 

Date Added: 12/12/2025

Students enrolled at Dayton Avenue, Eastport Elementary, South Street and Tuttle Avenue Schools celebrated the Thanksgiving season with an array of memorable activities. 

On Nov. 21, Tuttle Avenue first graders participatedin a Thanksgiving celebration, which recognized and honored all essential workers in their school along withthe veteransand active militaryin their community. It was a morning of poetry and song as each of the grade’s classrooms donned turkey and pilgrim headdresses and took to the stage to perform a variety of Thanksgiving holiday music and to recognize the important work that the faculty and staff do each day. 

Dayton Avenue and Eastport Elementary School students in grades 3-6flew “balloons” in individual Macy’s Department Store-like parades.A collaboration between STEAM and library classes, students worked on their balloon designs for the past two weeks. In library class, the students read Melissa Sweet’s “Balloons Over Broadway: The True Story of the Puppeteer of Macy’s Parade” and developed a concept and theme for their own balloons. During STEAM class and in the schools’MakerSpacerooms, students created a balloonand paraded their designs through the perimeter of their school’s gymnasium. 

South Street second graders also harvested the spirit through participation in Thanksgiving stations, which included Thanksgiving Bingo, making a turkeyplacemat, ModelMagic turkey creations and balloons for a similar afternoon Balloons Over South Street parade. 

In recognition of National Fire Safety month, the District’s elementary-aged students focused on fire safety measures during assemblies with both the Eastport and Manorville fire departments.

After individual assemblies about being safe, preventing fires and establishing an exit plan and meeting place, students collected outside for demonstrations and a tour of the fire trucks. The firefighters demonstrated how equipment on the truck is used and some students even had the opportunity to try on gear. Most importantly, students are now more confident in knowing what to do in case of a fire.

Click here to view the Elementary Students Learn Fire Safety Measures slideshow.

Date Added: 10/23/2025