Musketeer Monday: Melissa Romano

Welcome to Musketeer Monday, a weekly series in which we feature students and staff around the Central Islip School District. If you’re interested in nominating a fellow Musketeer, please click the link below to submit your nomination:

Musketeer Monday Form

Musketeer Monday: Melissa Romano, English Teacher, Central Islip High School

Q: School / Grade / Subject(s) Taught / Area of Work
A: I teach Advanced Placement English Literature & Composition and Advanced Placement English Language & Composition for juniors and seniors at Central Islip High School.

Q: How many years of experience in education / teaching / current field do you have?
A: I have been teaching since 1995 and started my career in Central Islip in 1997. I have been teaching for 31 years, and 29 of those have been in Central Islip.

Q: What inspired you to pursue a career in education (or your current field)?
A: I come from a family of educators and have always wanted to follow in my father, Mr. Carl Hawker’s, footsteps. My brother, Mr. Matthew Hawker, and I both became teachers. My husband is a teacher, my oldest son is a teacher, and my youngest son is currently in college to become a teacher. My husband, Michael Romano, and retired CI teacher Mr. Richard Iannuzzi also inspired my union involvement.

Q: What do you enjoy most about being part of this school/district community?
A: CI isn’t just a dot on Long Island’s map. It isn’t simply a place you pass through. CI is a pulse, a perspective, a way of being. Even though I grew up in a neighboring town, I am CI through and through. I have spent more than half my life here. There is a real connection and bond between people here. Everywhere I go, I ultimately meet someone from CI—and if we didn’t know each other before, we most certainly do afterward.

Additionally, our students are simply the best. Our superintendent, Dr. Dungee, is a champion of education and goes above and beyond for the students, teachers, and community of Central Islip. It is truly a privilege and honor to work here.

Q: What do you consider the most rewarding part of your job?
A: Hands down, the fabulous students I have are the most rewarding part of my job. It is an absolute joy to discuss incredible literature with them and to witness them transform into phenomenal writers. I want to give a special shoutout to all former and current members of the AP Lang Gang and AP Lit Crew. Their hard work, determination, and perseverance inspire me every single day. It truly is an honor.

Q: What are a few memorable moments you’ve had with students or colleagues?
A: I love some of the newer traditions at CIHS, such as the Senior Walkthrough, Senior Sunset, and Senior Sunrise.

A class tradition I share with my seniors is “Chalk the Walk.” Students in my AP Lit classes choose a memorable quote from a piece of literature we’ve read together, and we fill the sidewalk along the building with inspirational quotes for other students, faculty, and staff to read.

Q: Please list a teacher or staff member that has made a positive impact on you in this district and explain why.
A: There isn’t just one. On a daily basis, I am inspired by Mr. Matthew Hawker’s school spirit and enthusiasm, Mrs. Amy Harrington’s devotion and loyalty, Mrs. Megan Royce’s kindness and altruism, Mr. Darren Ehrhardt’s dedication and sarcasm, Mrs. Jennifer Cicero’s civic-mindedness, Mr. Michael Romano’s fairness and toughness, and Dr. Dungee’s compassion and care for the community.

Q: What’s your favorite event or tradition in our schools?
A: I absolutely love when the marching band walks around the school the day before December break playing holiday songs. It brings me to tears every year. I also love our outstanding high school musicals—they are truly elite.

Q: Where did you grow up / go to school?
A: I grew up in Lake Ronkonkoma and graduated from Sachem North High School in 1991. I attended SUNY The College at New Paltz for my undergraduate degree and SUNY Stony Brook for my master’s degree.

Q: Do you have a favorite book, movie, or TV show? Tell us about them.
A: Asking an English teacher her favorite book is a difficult question—it’s so hard to choose just one. One of my all-time favorites is The House in the Cerulean Sea by T.J. Klune. My favorite movie is The Shawshank Redemption, and I loved the television show This Is Us.

Q: Do you have a favorite quote or motto you live by?
A: As Oscar Wilde said, “Be yourself; everyone else is taken.”

Q: What are some activities you do in your spare time outside of school?
A: I have been an avid Peloton cyclist since October 2021. My goal is to ride the distance around the equator (24,901 miles), and I have a little less than 3,000 miles to go. I also love to read and keep a book journal of everything I’ve read. In the summer, I enjoy spending time poolside or at the beach. I love being with my family and friends, going out to dinner, playing games with my children and husband, and experimenting with new recipes in the kitchen.

Q: If you could have dinner with any historical figure or celebrity, who would it be?
A: I would choose to have dinner with Alice Walker—not just because she is brilliant, but because she has the rare ability to speak uncomfortable truths with clarity and compassion. She discusses race, identity, love, and human responsibility in a way that still feels urgent today. I imagine the conversation wouldn’t just be interesting—it would be transformative.

Q: If you weren’t in education or the field you're in now, what career would you choose?
A: If I had not become a teacher, I would have loved to be a book reviewer. Getting paid to read books and write about them in publications sounds incredible. I also think being a travel journalist—exploring the world and documenting it for others—would be magical.

Q: What’s one thing on your bucket list (travel, skill, experience)?
A: I want to learn how to play the guitar. I also want to go to Italy and stay for a couple of months to fully immerse myself in the culture.