Survival Swim, Ukulele Classes, EdTech Training: Deer Park School News

DEER PARK, NY — There's lots of excitement in the Deer Park schools.

In early January, fifth graders from Deer Park’s John F. Kennedy Intermediate School took an exciting and educational field trip to the Deer Park High School Aquatic Center swimming pool. The long-planned trip covered physical skills related to self-rescue for situations like muscle cramps, exhaustion and sudden immersion in cold water.

While clothed, the students were taught survival floating and swimming, self-rescue using their clothing, the importance of lifejackets, the HELP and Huddle positions, and handling unusual circumstances like a submerged vehicle or a capsized boat.

“The students had fun while learning valuable lessons that we hope they will never need to put into action,” JFK physical education teacher Keri Zuk said.

Ukulele classes coming to JQA Primary School

Playing the ukulele is in the fun future for young musicians at Deer Park’s John Quincy Adams Primary School. Music teacher Diana Cotrone’s “Uke Can Do It!” proposal was selected to receive a $2,000 grant from the TangerKids Grants program to fund the purchase of ukuleles for the school’s music program.

“I am honored that we are the TangerKids recipients this year,” Cotrone said. “The grant will fund JQA receiving a class set of ukuleles and wall mounts. This is an exciting opportunity for our students to grow their love, experiences and passion for music. I am most looking forward to seeing our students try something new, exploring the ukulele for the first time and most importantly, finding joy in playing together.”

EdTech trainers nominated for ASSET Bright Light award

Deer Park School District EdTech trainers Christine Joneleit and Jennifer Paduano have been nominated for the Bright Light award by the Association of Suffolk Supervisors for Educational Technology.

“Jennifer and Christine’s devotion to expanding the use of EdTech within our district and department has truly set them apart,” Executive Director for Instructional Technology and Innovation Jay Murphy said. “They have not only demonstrated expertise, but also a remarkable capacity to innovate and enhance the EdTech experience for both students and staff. Their commitment has gone and continues to go beyond the ordinary, making a significant impact on the educational landscape. I congratulate both Christine and Jennifer on this well-deserved recognition from ASSET. It’s a testament to their dedication and the positive influence they’ve had on the Deer Park School District.”