Congratulations to Carle Place High School science teacher Carol Nicosia, who has been named a New York State Master Teacher. The New York State Master Teacher program is a partnership with the State University of New York and Math for America that brings together outstanding public-school teachers to collaborate and inspire the next generation of STEM and science leaders. Mrs. Nicosia is one of just 10 teachers in Nassau County to receive this distinction.

Mrs. Nicosia teaches Advanced Placement Biology, Honors Chemistry and Science Research, serves as co-adviser of the environmental action committee and is a member of the technology committee. She is most passionate about modeling innovative instruction in the classroom. 

“I love making science come alive for my students,” Mrs. Nicosia said. “Building three-dimensional lessons and providing authentic research opportunities are just some of the ways we are accomplishing this in Carle Place.”

The Master Teacher designation recognizes excellence in three key areas: content knowledge, pedagogy and overall commitment to students, families and the school district community. 

“[Mrs. Nicosia] does an amazing job in all three of these areas,” said Superintendent of Schools David Flatley, who recalled the process of hiring Mrs. Nicosia with Carle Place Middle/High School Principal Thomas DePaola. “We are fortunate to have her as a member of our professional staff and it’s great that she is being formally recognized.” 

Mrs. Nicosia proposed, wrote and now teaches two elective courses at Carle Place MS/HS: Infectious Diseases and Genetics and Biotechnology. She also taught  undergraduate biology at Stony Brook University from 2009 to 2013 and is in the process of completing her educational leadership degree there. She previously earned her Bachelor of Science in biology from Fairfield University and completed her Masters of Arts in Teaching, also at Stony Brook. 

Mrs. Nicosia is pictured here being congratulated by the Board of Education and Mr. Flatley.

Every year, Key Club International celebrates all subdivisions of Key Club during the first full week of November. Executive board members from the Carle Place High School Key Club and the Carle Place Middle School Builders Club were honored by the Long Island North Division of Key Club at a ceremony held at Sea Cliff Manor on Nov. 7. Both groups were recognized for their charitable efforts and service learning work.  

The Carle Place MS/HS combined group was recognized as the top fundraising Key Club Division for the state of New York for the 2017-18 school year. Both groups fundraised for worthy causes such as UNICEF, Winthrop NYU Breast Health Center, Operational Smile, Hagedorn Cleft Palate and Craniofacial Center, the Salvation Army, Carle Place Adopt-A-Family and Winthrop Child Life. Both groups have also carried out service projects for the Our Lady of Hope Food Pantry and the INN Soup Kitchen.  

To celebrate locally, on Nov. 7 Key Club members carried out random acts of kindness. The Key Club and Builders Club hope to continue that spirit through their food drive, taking place Nov. 13-16 in Social Studies classes, as well as the Long Island Blood Services Blood Drive on Nov. 20.

– By Caroline McLaughlin, Carle Place HS Key Club 
 

Congratulations to the Carle Place Middle/High School varsity field hockey team and Coach Rubenstein on advancing to the New York State Final Four by defeating Pierson (Sag Harbor) 7-0 in the Long Island Championship game on Nov. 3! The Lady Frogs will play in the state semifinals on Saturday, Nov. 10 at Williamsville North High School in Buffalo. The finals are scheduled for Sunday, Nov. 11, also at Williamsville North.
 
Additional congratulations to runners Marcus Pomales and John Schmuck, who advanced to the 2018 New York State Public High School Athletic Association Cross-Country Championships after a strong showing at Bethpage State Park on Nov. 4. They will compete in the state tournament on Nov. 10 at Sunken Meadow State Park in Kings Park.

Finally, congratulations to the boys varsity soccer team, including Coaches Foraker and Reardon, on a successful year. The team advanced to the Southeast Regional Championship. Despite their loss to Briarcliff in the second round of penalty kicks they played with heart!

PROUD TO BE A FROG!!!!
 

Red Ribbon week was recently recognized at Carle Place Middle School and High School, led by the club SADD (Students Against Destructive Decisions). The Red Ribbon campaign is a national campaign that is working to spread awareness about the use of illegal drugs and tobacco products and how these products can destroy someone’s life. Red Ribbon week started in 1985, as a way to educate people, especially teens, so that they have a better chance to live out healthy, and happy lives. Students in SADD at Carle Place High School decorated the entire school with red ribbons in the hallways and on doors, with helpful information sheets pinned up in the hallways and messages on teacher's doors for everyone to read. 

Moreover, if you were driving by Carle Place MS/HS you might have seen the red ribbons tied to the big trees in front of the school, to make sure that everyone in the community was aware of what was going on in the school. Additionally, on the Monday morning of Red Ribbon Week (Oct. 15), students from SADD handed out stickers and bookmarks at the main entrance encouraging students to be safe and smart, especially since it was also Homecoming Week. 

– By Alexa Mastrangelo

Ninth-grade students in Cherie Gisondi’s English class at Carle Place Middle/High School recently interviewed the stars of the new movie, “The Grinch.” Their interview is scheduled to appear in an upcoming edition of Newsday’s Kidsday student journalism section.

Students Kaela Borders, Christopher DeSimone, Christian Placencia and Gab Reinouso interviewed Oscar-winning actor Benedict Cumberbatch, who plays the Grinch, and actress Cameron Seely, who plays Cindy Lou Who. They conducted their interview during the movie’s media day event at the Four Seasons Hotel in Manhattan. They also attended a private advanced screening of the movie.