February Board of Education Synopsis

A public hearing was held prior to the February 10 Board of Education meeting. School Business Official Sharon Morgan presented a proposal for the Board to consider reducing the required years of service for volunteer firefighters and ambulance volunteers from five years to two years to qualify for a 10% property tax exemption. After careful deliberation, the Board decided to maintain the current requirement of five years of service for volunteers to be eligible for the exemption.

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School Board President Luis Alcantara opened the regularly scheduled February 10 Board of Education meeting with a moment of silence in remembrance of a student whose life was tragically cut short in a car accident. Mr. Alcantara acknowledged the organization Promise of Hope, which provides financial assistance to families following the loss of a child, for supporting the student’s family with final arrangements.

"This is an amazing organization that stepped in and paid for one of our students to be laid to rest in Honduras, where his mother lives, and I wanted to recognize that they did this for our student," Mr. Alcantara said. Superintendent of Schools Dr. Sharon A. Dungee added that Promise of Hope does not inquire about a child’s country of origin or require any documentation. "This organization provides assistance to ease the burden on grieving parents," Dr. Dungee said.

A group of Alfano Elementary art students was recognized for their artwork celebrating Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., which is on display at the State Capitol in honor of Black History Month. Accompanied by Alfano Principal Ms. Vazquez and their art teacher, Mr. Stewart, several students shared how Dr. King has inspired them. Representing their peers were sixth graders Salvador de la Paz and Nisy Vallecillo, along with fifth graders Yelena Crespo and Nashly de Jesus Perez.

Superintendent Dr. Dungee presented a News 12 feature covering Guest Readers Day at Morrow Elementary School on February 4. She and Ms. LaMonica provided commentary on News 12’s coverage of this enriching literacy event. Guest readers included Dr. Dungee, School Board President Luis Alcantara, School Board Vice President Debra Cavanagh, School Board Member Jim Musumeci, district administrators, teachers, Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine and other elected officials, a retired superintendent, law enforcement officers, and retired faculty and staff. Now in its 18th year, Guest Readers Day at Morrow is organized by School Board Member and retired CI teacher Mrs. Maureen Esposito.

Dr. Dungee also highlighted recent district initiatives, including O’Neill Elementary School’s Safety Patrol Assembly, Central Islip High School’s Legal Eagles mock trial team, which competes in statewide competitions, and Cordello and O’Neill elementary schools’ participation in the Scripps Spelling Bee Competition.

During the public comment portion of the meeting, Ms. Susan Pellegrino informed attendees that the Town of Islip is conducting a survey to gather input on community priorities. She noted that Central Islip lacks a park or central gathering place for residents and encouraged the community to visit TOI360.com to participate in the survey.

Director of Music and Instructional Technology Mr. Philip K. Voigt presented updates on both departments. He announced that the Central Islip High School Concert Choir has been invited to perform at the All-Eastern Conference, representing the eastern seaboard from Maine to Florida, in April 2025. The event will take place in Connecticut. Additionally, 33 CI students will participate in the Suffolk County Music Educators’ Association (SCMEA) festival. Mr. Voigt expressed gratitude for the support of the Board of Education, Dr. Dungee, and the district’s dedicated music staff.

In a major development, Mr. Voigt announced the reinstatement of the fourth-grade chorus and band program, which was discontinued over a decade ago during the district’s reorganization under former Superintendent Dr. Craig G. Carr. The program will resume at the start of the 2025–2026 academic year.

This year’s Broadway musical at CIHS, Shrek the Musical, is anticipated to be a top-tier production suitable for all ages. Performances will take place in the Main Auditorium on March 7 and March 8.

In technology updates, Mr. Voigt reported that the district’s phone system will be upgraded over the summer, replacing the outdated system implemented in 2016. Additionally, Parent Square, a new communication platform, will streamline interactions between home and school. Key features include:

• Primary school-to-home communication
• Transition from Remind & Class Dojo
• Attendance messaging
• School and district-wide announcements

Mr. Voigt also highlighted the district’s increasing social media engagement, noting 785,700  Facebook views, 3 million Instagram views, and 132,000 content interactions, largely due to the efforts of Mr. Donny Chiarel, Communications Specialist.

Regarding student technology, there are currently:

• 6,208 Chromebooks assigned to students
• 1,672 iPads deployed to Pre-K, first, and second graders
• An average of 292 monthly device repairs
• An average of 25.6 lost or stolen devices per month

From a cybersecurity standpoint, the Central Islip School District collaborates with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the FBI to safeguard against cyber threats. A recent audit of external and internal security scans revealed zero external vulnerabilities, and all detected internal vulnerabilities have been addressed.

It was also noted that immigrants’ rights resources are continuously updated on the district’s website. "These resources are accessible on every page so our community has the information they need," Mr. Voigt stated. Dr. Dungee emphasized that parents should feel safe sending their children to Central Islip schools and assured that School Safety Officer Mr. Weiner is responsible for ensuring the safety of families.

The next Board of Education meeting is scheduled for March 10 at 7:30 p.m. in the Alfano School Multi-Purpose Room.