Jr.-Sr. High School students learned that archeology is a much wider field than merely digging for artifacts at an historical site. During an assembly with Brookhaven National Laboratory archeologist Dr. Allison McGovern, the students not only received an introduction to the field but learned about various components, methods, legalities and tools utilized by professional archeologists and some of the local sites that were examined and preserved. 

Dr. McGovern specializes in uncovering and preserving the stories buried in Long Island's past. She combines archaeology, history, and community engagement to protect important cultural sites and bring overlooked narratives to light.  

Dr. McGovern cautioned that the practice of archeology can be a “destructive and expensive process,” and that preservation is often cheaper and more sustainable. She also examined local sites, such as Spy Coast Farm in Setauket, the Crippen House in Huntington and the Betsy Prince site in Rocky Point where valuable artifacts shed light on former communities on Long Island. Dr. McGovern also spoke about archeological digs that revealed information about ancient civilizations and the cultural exchanges that resulted from such findings. 

During her presentation, students gained a deeper understanding of how social scientists study the past, use evidence to reconstruct historical events, and explore the lives of communities. 

Date Added: 12/2/2025

District students have greeted the holiday season with various food drives and donations for families in need.

The Jr.-Sr. High School’s National Honor Society and Junior Honor Society donated to Long Island Cares through the Lion’s Heart service group. The members also collected food outside the Manorville, Eastport and Center Moriches King Kullen grocery stores on Nov. 1 and Nov. 8.

Dayton Avenue School’s community also showed what it truly means to warm hearts while filling shopping carts. The students, staff and faculty participated in the school’s annual Turkey Trot Food Drive, bringing in cans, boxes and pantry items to support the local Presbyterian Church Food Pantry. Sixth grade volunteers helped to deliver the donations.

With grateful hearts and generous hands, the district’s students made a meaningful difference for families in need this Thanksgiving season.

Click here to view the Demonstrating Gratitude Through Food Collections slideshow.

Five of the Jr.-Sr. High School’s top student-musicians were selected to participate in the New York State Council of Music Educators/Suffolk County Music Educators Association All-County Music Festival held at Hauppauge High School on Nov. 14. The students were selected among 2,000 nominees across Suffolk County and represent the best of the best on their instruments and with their voices. 

Chelsea Gallagher (alto 1), Paige Mannese (soprano 2) and Logan Penkower (tenor 1) were selected to sing in the mixed chorus, while Jayden Dell'Isola (viola) and Bennett Leselrod (oboe) were selected toplay in the orchestra. 

The district congratulates the students on this outstanding accomplishment.  

Date Added: 11/25/2025

Putting on a play usually takes months of preparation and hard work, but the Eastport-South Manor Theatre Department’s recent production only took a fraction of the time. 

On Nov. 7-9, the Jr.-Sr. High School thespians participated in The Five Day Play Challenge, under the direction of Toni Borkowski and Clint Raynor. Held in the school’s Black Box Theatre, the production showcased the work of more than 50 students who presented four separate, student-written plays. The catch was that students had only five days to produce the dramas, which included memorization, acting, set building, painting and lighting. 

Ms. Bortowski admitted that The Five Day Challenge was indeed a “challenge” but well worth the intensity of getting these productions ready for the audience. The students performed for packed houses. The price of admission was a nonperishable food item collected for the ESM food pantry. 

 Students performed Abigail White’s “A Hand of Fate,” Julianna Terry’s “Ghost Stories,” Lee Pacello’s “Family Vacation,” and “The Incredible Three” by Jack Gallagher and Emily Tracy. Each play included a cast of between four to seven actors. Although the executive directors were faculty, the production was run solely by students who served as stage mangers, costume manager, prop mistress, running crew, crew, carpenters and light board and sound board operators and technicians. 

“Creating a play in five days is a monumental task, yet the students embraced the task with enthusiasm and professionalism,” Ms. Bortowski said. “Their performance in the Black Box Theatre is a testament to their remarkable creativity and collaboration.”   

 
Click here to view the The Theatre Department Takes on The Five Day Play Challenge slideshow.

Date Added: 11/17/2025

Science Honor Society members volunteered with eelgrass remediation in the Great South Bay with SAVE Environmental, an environmental organization that has developed a successful restoration method for eelgrass, known as Zostera marina. Eelgrass is at the foundation of coastal waters across the United States and has been drastically reduced to a fraction of what it was several decades ago in New York State waters.

The students were taught a method created by Robert Vasiluth of SAVE Environmental in which they attached eelgrass seeds to clams using biodegradable and nontoxic reef glue. The clams then burrow into the soil and reestablish the eelgrass population naturally. The students prepared more than 2,000 clams for distribution for the coming weeks.

Mr. Vasiluth also gave the students background on the work he is doing and explained how their participation is helping to improve water quality along the South Shore of Long Island. The students will also be continuing their volunteer work this coming spring.

District Director of K-12 Science Dr. Jessica Mintz congratulated science honor society co-advisors Robert Bolen and Kelly Spadafora and the students for their volunteer efforts. She noted that this is an example of how the district exposes students to great science opportunities.

Click here to view the Improving the Environment One Clam at a Time slideshow.