Under the baton of music teacher Cara Navaretta, Dayton Avenue’s and Eastport Elementary‘s sixth grade choral students were invited to sing “God Bless America” during the seventh inning stretch at the June 4 Long Island Ducks baseball game. It was a family event where many Eastport-South Manor families attended to support the students singing. This was a great event for music education in our schools.

Congratulations to the following Dayton Avenue students: Tenley Albert, Mason Burke, Tanner Carr, Olivia Cefaloni, Benjamin Cressman, Courtney Dietz, Ryann Fontanetta, Maia Garcia, Olivia Goncharuk, Braiden Hickey, Peyton Keen, Scarlett Krygier, Olivia Luck, Alex Martinez, Julia Mazovec, Izabella Moore-Kopek, Liam Penkower, Morgan Skidmore, Kayla Sperandio, Avery Tepper, Mason Tonn, Mackenna Tria and Natalia Wisniewski.

Congratulations to the following Eastport Elementary School students: Valentina Aiello, CJ Bancroft, Jonah Brown, Iyla Bruno, Vicki Cloughen, Adam Degnan, Lincoln Donato, Bria Drnek, Colton Geisen, Peyton Geisen, Jake Giallorenzi, Jackson Hansen, Alessia Hauser, Colin Hogan, Taylor Lostritto, Sophia Madison, Anabella Marzillier, Daniel Pajan, Eric Ramirez, Mia Reehil, Aubrie Rodecker and Parker Salvatore, William Toscano and Jasmine Wimberly.

Date Added: 6/18/2025

Winners of the District’s elementary-level science fair winners competed in Brookhaven National Laboratory’s Elementary Science Fair, held on June 7. Dayton Avenue fourth grader Mabel Gross received the Judges Choice Award, a special recognition that acknowledges specific qualities that stand out to the judges and highlight unique aspects that might not be captured by the standard judging rubric.

Mabel’s project, Rainbow Reaction, discovered that using red or yellow balls resulted in faster reaction times for players, making athletes better players. Her project also confirmed that red and yellow lights on traffic signals result in faster reaction times. Through her research, Mabel also noticed that the color white has a faster reaction time than green and suggested that green traffic lights should be replaced with white lights.

The district also congratulates the following students who were winners in the school-level science fairs. First-place winners qualified to compete at BNL.

First place: Thomas Carr (Grade 1) – Tuttle Avenue School; Colton Christian (Grade 3) – Dayton Avenue School; Hadley Christian (Grade 6) – Dayton Avenue School; Hattie Gross (Grade 1) – South Street School; Evan Gulde (Grade 4) – Eastport Elementary School; Crawford Little (K) – South Street School; Paxtyn Mann (Grade 5) – Dayton Avenue School

Honorable Mention: Dominick Bellezza (K) – South Street School; Shize Chen (Grade 1) South Street School; Harper Conrad (Grade 3) – Dayton Avenue School; Alanna Rachel (Grade 1) – Tuttle Avenue School; Morgan Skidmore (Grade 6) – Dayton Avenue School

Date Added: 6/16/2025

The District announced the retirement of 13 administrators, faculty and staff during the June 12 board of education meeting.

Superintendent of Schools Joseph Steimel thanked the individuals for their service to the district and their positive influence on students.

Congratulations to the following individuals:

Dr. Carole Polney – Director of Instructional Technology

Linda Weiss - Assistant Superintendent for Personnel and Student Services

Jeanmarie Zambelli – Tuttle Avenue School Principal

Frances Biener – custodial worker I

Melissa Bobal – elementary teacher

Jenifer Coburn – office applications specialist

Steven Michelini – mathematics teacher

Maryanne Murphy – business office account clerk

James Ostensen – science teacher

Karen Skoldberg – guidance counselor

Gary Stein – school psychologist

Kathleen Sutton – guidance counselor

Michael Cassano – custodial worker I

The district also congratulated 18 faculty members who were bestowed tenure.

Congratulations to the following individuals:

Katerina Aiello – ESL teacher

Dawn Baynon – teaching assistant

Corey Briggs – school social worker

Ana Brunelle – teaching assistant

Jacqueline Chambers – elementary teacher

Brielle Colello – elementary teacher

Alexis Duggan – English teacher

Teresa Eng – mathematics teacher

Annmarie Estrema – teaching assistant

Brittany Ferguson – special education teacher

Brooke Harris – school psychologist

Nerilyn Lopez – foreign language teacher

Lauren Macchi – teaching assistant

Cara Navaretta – music teacher

Kelly Nespoli – teaching assistant

Meghan Petriello – elementary teacher

Nicole Triandafilos Otto – music teacher

Marli Wilkins – special education teacher

Date Added: 6/16/2025

District students attending Dayton Avenue, Eastport, South Street and Tuttle Avenue elementary schools donned their patriotic colors and handmade hats as they raised their American flags during separate Flag Day celebrations on June 13. 

At all four ceremonies, local veterans, first responders and representatives attended the festivities punctuated by patriotic songs, students reading facts about the flag and what the flag means to them along with information on traditional American symbols. Members of the local fire departments also raised the American flag on the fire truck ladder for all to pay tribute to the nation’s symbol of liberty and freedom. 

Click here to view the Eastport-South Manor Celebrates the Stars and Stripes slideshow.

Date Added: 6/16/2025

During the June 12 Board of Education meeting, Director of Health, Physical Education and Athletic Patrick Hayes touted the accomplishments of the District’s spring athletic season and introduced the season’s athletes who received an All-County designation.

Congratulations to the following athletes:

Justin Albanese – spring track

Gavin Calvo – spring track

Jaiden Campbell – spring track

Colleen Carroll – girls spring track

Sarah Cluff – girls lacrosse

Alexandra DaEira-Loccisano – girls flag football

Jaden Flood – spring track

Madalena Hiotis – girls spring track

Thomas Gargiulo – baseball

Riley Gimpel – spring track

Allyson Justesen – girls flag football

Elaina Keller – softball – 2024-2025 League V Pitcher

Matt Keller – spring track

Brady McGowan – baseball

David Metz – spring track

Jack Mikula – spring track

Matteo Monter – spring track

Katelynn Murtha – girls lacrosse

Brooke Springsteen – softball – 2024-2025 League V Defensive Player

Jenna Vormittag – girls flag football

Logan Walsh – baseball

Kendall Ward – softball

Paul Zorn – spring track

Date Added: 6/16/2025