The Miller Place High School recently hosted an interactive driver-safety workshop in an effort to promote safe driving habits among students. The International Save a Life Tour is a comprehensive, high-impact, safe-driving awareness program offered to high school students throughout the country. Miller Place’s seniors learned about the risks of being impaired and distracted behind the wheel using interactive, virtual-reality technology.

“As upperclassmen in the District enter the world of driving, it’s essential to inform them of the immense responsibility that comes with having a driver’s license,” said Dr. Marianne Cartisano, Superintendent of Miller Place School District. “Each year we have partnered with the International Save a Life Tour, there has been a lasting impact on our students.

One of the workshop’s main features is a high-tech driver’s-seat simulator, which mimics the impairments of having a high blood alcohol content. The simulator makes clear to students the dangers of driving impaired and how impaired driving can lead to poor decisions which then lead to crashes, injuries and sometimes death. Students experienced how the brakes and steering wheel “lag” as blood-alcohol levels increase. The simulator also played out how alcohol impacts reaction time and stopping, turning and accelerating.  In an effort to promote behavioral changes, students participated in pre and post surveys about distracted driving, and received wristbands after pledging to drive safely.

The International Save a Life Tour is one of the most advanced, high-impact Safe Driving Awareness programs in the United States. Students all over the world participate in this program, gaining a realistic and sobering perspective on the dangers of driving while impaired or distracted.

For more information about the Miller Place School District, please visit the District’s website at www.millerplace.k12.ny.us.

 

During each fall season, Miller Place High School’s students host benefit athletic games and facilitate numerous fundraising opportunities to raise money and awareness for different charities. This year, the high school’s girls volleyball, boys soccer, and girls soccer teams; and student government raised an impressive $10,000 for five different organizations through t-shirt and bracelet sales, bake sales, raffle baskets, plant sales, and local business donations.

 

“Each year, Miller Place community members never cease to amaze us with their passion, willingness to open their wallets and pocketbooks and take to heart the message and goals of each charity,” said Superintendent Marianne Cartisano. “I would also like to recognize our students, coaches, and families for their collective efforts that allowed us to raise over $10,000 for so many different causes this year. Our students’ ability to focus on academics and athletics while also working diligently to make a difference in the lives of others is a true testament to their character and the values our District looks to impart in our students every day.”

 

The Miller Place Panthers girls volleyball team took home two wins at the Dig Pink benefit game, an initiative of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. In addition to defeating the Shoreham-Wading River Wildcats, the team raised a cumulative $3,660 dollars to benefit two organizations: North Shore Neighbors Breast Cancer Coalition, and Side-Out Foundation. North Shore Neighbors Breast Cancer Coalition is a local non-profit organization dedicated to providing funds to families with a family member combatting the disease. The Side-Out Foundation is an organization devoted to cutting-edge breast cancer research.

 

The Miller Place Panthers boys soccer team was determined to “Kick Out ALS” at their benefit match against the Shoreham-Wading River Wildcats, who they conquered 2-1. Collectively, the boys were able to raise a total of $2,300 for the Ride for Life Foundation, an organization dedicated to raising money and awareness of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). The MPHS student government also contributed to the Ride for Life Foundation this year. During Spirit Week and Homecoming weekend, the high school raised an additional $3,300 to donate to the organization.

 

The Miller Place Panthers girls soccer team played in their annual Kicks for Cancer game, a local initiative for athletic programs to raise money for various cancer research organizations. This year, the lady Panthers raised $750 for the American Cancer Society, a nationwide and community-based health organization dedicated to eliminating cancer as a major health problem.

 

For more information about the Miller Place School District, please visit the District’s website at www.millerplace.k12.ny.us.

 

 

 

The Miller Place School District (MPSD) recently welcomed alumni and friends back to Miller Place for its annual Homecoming Weekend on October 13, 2018. Throughout the week, students and District faculty exhibited their school spirit and Panther pride in anticipation of the parade and big football game that took place over the weekend. This year’s festivities included Pajama Day, Wacky Wednesday, Character Day, and Spirit Day.

 

“Homecoming weekend is always a great opportunity for the community to express our panther pride and rally our students to support their peers in athletics, academics, and extracurricular activities,” said Superintendent of Schools Dr. Marianne Cartisano. “It is always a great weekend for all of us, especially when we can share the excitement with our families, friends and former students who join us for festivities.”

 

To kick off the beginning of spirit week, students celebrated Pajama Day, coming to school dressed in their coziest and most colorful pajamas. On Wacky Wednesday, students sported their most imaginative and wildest outfits wearing mismatched socks, neon colored clothing, and silly hairstyles. On Character Day, the hallways were full of students dressed as their favorite persona. Outfits ranged from Disney characters to professional athletes to literature characters and historical figures. On Spirit Day, students dressed in school colors to exhibit their Panther pride. Winners of the homecoming court were announced during the pep rally celebration. Sean McNulty and Laura Broome, two members of the senior class, were crowned as 2018-2019 Spirit Week’s Homecoming King and Queen.

 

On Homecoming day, Panther cheerleaders, members of the MPHS pep band, and students from each building in the District marched alongside the handcrafted and decade-themed homecoming floats. Also in attendance was Mr. Chris Pendergast, a Miller Place resident and courageous fighter of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). The parade began at the Miller Place Fire Department South and navigated to the high school’s football field where the MPHS Panther’s football team played against the Comsewogue Warriors. The Panthers took home the win, defeating the Warriors 28-15.

 

For more information about the Miller Place School District, please visit the District’s website at www.millerplace.k12.ny.us.

 

 

Seventh graders from Miller Place School District’s North Country Road Middle School recently explored Cedar Beach and Satterly’s Landing in Mount Sinai as part of the District’s seventh grade ecology curriculum. The exploration helped the students gain a deeper understanding of the ecological scientific concepts they were studying beyond what they could learn solely from a classroom study.

 

Students participated in interdisciplinary activities with members of the Long Island Sound Study, Department of Environmental Conservation, and the Town of Brookhaven to learn about the habitats of several species of marine life located in Mount Sinai Harbor salt marshes. The seventh graders took a hands-on approach to learning by conducting field testing. They used water monitoring equipment to test the local water for various factors, such as dissolved oxygen, pH levels, phosphates, nitrates, salinity, and turbidity. Back in the classroom, students analyzed the data they collected to assess the health of the Mount Sinai Harbor ecosystem and discussed its importance for the Long Island Sound.

 

For more information about the Miller Place School District, please visit the District’s website at www.millerplace.k12.ny.us.

 

The Miller Place School District is thinking pink this October by kicking off Breast Cancer Awareness Month with the Maurer Foundation’s breast health education program at Miller Place High School. The forty-minute presentation emphasizes different initiatives students can take in their everyday life to reduce the risk of breast cancer.

 

Students that are presently enrolled in health class—a requirement of the district’s health education curriculum—were taught different breast health initiatives during their scheduled class. Students engaged in discussions on proper nutrition including portion sizes and food product packaging details. Students learned how to conduct a proper breast self-examination through practicing on silicone breast models, a unique aspect of the breast health education program the Maurer Foundation offers.

 

The Maurer Foundation’s mission is to save lives by promoting breast health education—breast cancer prevention, healthy lifestyle choices, and early detection and risk reduction. Since 1995, the Maurer Foundation has spoken to over 300,000 high school and college students, parents, coworkers, and neighbors. The Maurer Foundation is commonly known for their unique approach to promoting breast health education—take action, local, and youth education.

 

For more information about the Miller Place School District, please visit the District’s website at www.millerplace.k12.ny.us.

 

The Miller Place School District recently hosted an educational assembly at Andrew Muller Primary School focused on teaching children what to do in the event of an emergency or disaster situation. The program, BeReadyLI Children’s Workshop, is the result of a collaboration between United Way of Long Island, PSEG Long Island, and 2-1-1 Long Island. The program provides information on preparation before, during, and after disasters.

 

The interactive assembly captivated students’ attention through a series of engaging videos and activities to better describe safety initiatives for disasters. The students were taught the importance of knowing their full names and their caregivers or guardians, recognizing who in the community can assist in case of an emergency and what to bring with them in case of an emergency situation. When the workshop concluded, students took home refresher materials to share with parents, string bags and play construction hats.

 

For more information about the Miller Place School District, please visit the District’s website at www.millerplace.k12.ny.us.

 

The Miller Place School District’s Laddie A. Decker Sound Beach School (LADSBS) recently celebrated National Peace Day with engaging student activities related to peace. LADSBS took the initiative to set a tone of respect and unity for the year by hosting powerful and inspiring assemblies for each grade level where faculty members and students discussed what it means to be kind and how to make a positive difference in the school building. In order to honor peace day year-round, students devised different initiatives to promote diversity and encourage acceptance with peers.

 

In 1999, Jeremy Gilley initiated Peace One Day with the objective to get the entire world to observe one day of peace and non-violence. Gilley documented his efforts through an award-winning film called “The Day After Peace.” The United Nations unanimously adopted September 21st as a day devoted to strengthening the ideals of peace among all nations.

 

For more information about the Miller Place School District, please visit the District’s website at www.millerplace.k12.ny.us.

 

 

The fourth grade students of Miller Place School District’s Laddie A. Decker Sound Beach School recently took an educational field trip to the Miller Place–Mt. Sinai Historical Society and participated in a walking tour of several historical sites in Miller Place. The walking tour coincides with the fourth grade social studies curriculum offered in the District as the students study the early settlers of Long Island and New York.

 

“Going to the Historical Society was a great opportunity for the students to be acquainted with the local history of our community,” said Superintendent of Schools Marianne Cartisano. “The Miller Place School District is continually looking to engage students in new and exciting ways that expand their understanding of classroom material.”

 

Students attentively listened to members of the Historical Society discuss the lifestyle for residents of Miller Place in the 17th century while they were led on a walking tour of two historical properties. Along the tour, students eagerly discovered William Miller’s house that was built in 1720, and the Daniel Hawkins house that was constructed in 1810. As the students explored the houses that are now maintained as museums, the Historical Society tour guides presented the history behind the initial settlement of Miller Place and the history of the two houses.

 

The Miller Place–Mt. Sinai Historical Society was founded in 1974 as an initiative to preserve the history in the Miller Place-Mount Sinai communities of Long Island. The Historical Society supervises two properties including the William Miller House and the Daniel Hawkins House.

 

For more information about the Miller Place School District, please visit the District’s website at www.millerplace.k12.ny.us.

 

The Miller Place School District’s Laddie A. Decker Sound Beach School recently added a new yoga program for the 2018-2019 school year. The program focuses on enriching students’ physical and emotional education through a series of yoga classes. Students in grades three through five will be taught the importance of mindfulness and body awareness by practicing different yoga poses and relaxation and breathing techniques. The 30-minute classes are designed to encourage students’ self-discovery and help develop increased confidence. Teachers at Laddie A. Decker Sound Beach School are excited to introduce students to new solutions to clear their minds, enhance their ability to focus and gain a more positive outlook on themselves and others.

 

For more information about the Miller Place School District, please visit the District’s website: www.millerplace.k12.ny.us.

Several teachers at Miller Place School District’s North Country Road Middle School took the initiative to honor our country’s 9/11 fallen heroes by educating students about the horrific attacks that took place 17 years ago. Mrs. Himmelmann and Mrs. Saulle, two 7th grade English teachers, held lessons that included having students listen to recorded interviews from the 9/11 Memorial Museum’s oral history collection. The videos captured the different perspectives and emotions of three individuals who experienced the 9/11 attacks first hand. Students then reflected on each person’s perspective and touched upon what they found most shocking or moving in each person’s story. To complete the lesson, students remembered a positive or negative memory from their past to write about and share with their teacher.

 

Mrs. Hibbard, a 6th grade social studies teacher, used a lesson on artifacts to educate students on the 9/11 attacks. The lesson taught students about the significance of artifacts and how they provide us insight into our past. Mrs. Hibbard also shared a video about 9/11 which showed students real-life artifacts, including artifacts recovered from Ground Zero.

 

For more information about the Miller Place School District, please visit the District’s website: www.millerplace.k12.ny.us.