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Mahopac Middle School's Newest Teachers
Make Their Mark
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Every year, new teachers arrive in the District and find their places. We checked in with some of the new teachers at Mahopac Middle School to see how it has been going and get their impressions. | |
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“Communication is huge for students now and will be throughout the rest of their lives socially and academically. I work to break down the barriers that some of our students have communicating so that they can use the words that they know to better express themselves now and when they’re older.”
-Karen Fraga, Speech Language Pathologist
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“I taught here in Mahopac Middle School as a leave replacement for two years and I loved working in the District. That was seven years ago, but when I saw the opening here, I knew that Mahopac was the place for me. I’ve taught elementary, middle, and high school level and I love how different teaching this age group is; they’re at such a pivotal moment of growth.”
- Lisa McGee, Special Education Teacher
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“I started out in corporate doing product development after I graduated from college. I just didn’t find that line of work very fulfilling, that’s when I pivoted to teaching. I worked in New York City before this and I was really looking for a sense of community in my next position. I found that here, in Mahopac. I’m new to the District and area, but everyone has been welcoming and friendly.”
- Blair Davidoff, Special Education Teacher
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“I was a sub here 10 years ago right after I graduated from college. Since then, I’ve gotten a lot of experience and I’m excited to leverage that to help my students here. I feel so connected to this town after growing up here and it’s been so great to see people again after a decade away. I’ll always remember one time when I was driving by a church and I saw they had a sign up outside that said ‘Be the person that you needed when you were a kid’. That’s why I do this.”
- Joseph Roche, Health Education Teacher
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School Social Workers Week 2024 | |
It's School Social Workers Week and the Mahopac Central School District is deeply grateful for the invaluable contributions of its School Social Workers. They are critical figures in the lives of our students and serve the community every day. Thank you to Kristel Halton, Davia Bugge, Jennifer Stytzer, Suzanne Mayer, Kellie Rivera, Valerie Trefny, and Jill Iglesias for all of the critical work that you do! | |
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Kindergarten Students Learn About the
Power of "What If?"
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Most students feel anxious at the beginning of a new school year. But none more so than kindergarteners just beginning their educational journey.
Last week, Austin Road Elementary Assistant Principal Michelle Tween and Principal Bryan Gilligan met with the whole kindergarten class to talk about trying new things and breaking out of their comfort zones.
“Let’s say, I have to run a really fast race,” said Tween. “And I don’t think that I’m going to run very fast. If I don’t run in the race, then I’ll never know how much fun it would have been. Instead, what if I run it and it doesn’t matter whether I win or lose? What if it only matters that I do it and try?”
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Students were encouraged to ask a simple question, “What if?” What if I try out a new sport? What if I introduce myself to the new student? What if I express myself to my friends and family and share about how I’m feeling?
A safe and secure home is critical for supporting anyone, not just students, and for allowing them to take controlled risks to expand their comfort zone, meet new people, try new things, and discover things about themselves.
“‘What if’ helps me do new things,” said Austin Road kindergarten student Christopher. “It’s like my first day of kindergarten, I was scared but I was also excited.”
Each grade level gets together with Tween and Gilligan for a town hall meeting six times a year, where they discuss important topics that aren’t always covered by the curriculum.
“Bryan and I see the town halls as our classroom,” said Tween. “It’s about creating a space where we can talk to students directly about emotions, choices, and social issues. Sometimes that means speaking to our kindergarteners about trying new things, and sometimes that means speaking to our fifth-grade students about social media.”
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Fulmar Road Students Meet Feathered Friends at Wildlife Presentation | |
Fulmar Road Elementary’s kindergarten through second-grade classes gathered in the cafeteria for a chance to see some of the incredible animals brought in as a part of the Birds of Prey presentation delivered by Bill Robinson. Robinson has been a staple of the Fulmar Road Elementary experience for decades and the falcon, lizard, alligator, owl, snake, and vulture that he brought with him did not disappoint: | |
Students Hear from Real World Professionals at Career Spotlight Event | |
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Mahopac Middle School's eighth-grade class heard from professionals in counseling, sports medicine, videography, and sound engineering during the Career Spotlight Guest Speaker Event last Friday. The Mahopac CSD extends its thanks to Audio and Video Production Teacher Stas Przymylski, Principal Technical Artist for Hair and Secondary Motion David Barksdale, High School Counselor and Baseball Coach Nikolas D'Agnese, and Athletic Trainer Brenna Lape for taking time out of their busy schedules to share their invaluable professional advice.
"There are a lot of jobs in the video game industry," said Barksdale. "I have a very niche but necessary job that I do for the studio and there are thousands of other niche specialties thanks to all of the technologies and art that's involved in this industry. My advice to students is that if they like to draw or sculpt or do anything creative, start making things, your passion and skills will only grow from there."
"I started out at community college and that was the right choice for me at the time," said Lape. "I didn't know what I wanted to do for work until I was a Sophomore in college, I didn't even really know what an Athletic Trainer was until then, so my biggest piece of advice is to just ask questions. If you want to figure out what you want to do with your life, then ask questions of the people around you. Get to know what they do, what they like about it, what they don't like about it."
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Mahopac High School Senior Scholarship Opportunities | |
Mahopac families, clubs, and organizations want to support seniors with post-graduate plans through scholarship opportunities. Seniors should visit the Senior Awards Website to see which scholarship opportunities are a good fit for them. | |
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Kindergarten Registration for the
2024-2025 School Year
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Kindergarten registration for the 2024-25 school year will be held from January 1st, 2024 - March 31st, 2024. Check out the attached documents to register.
English Document https://5il.co/2bd71
Spanish Document https://5il.co/2bd70
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Ad Hoc Advocacy Committee Opens
Suggestion Box
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The Ad Hoc Advocacy Committee invites our community to provide any concerns/issues/policies for the Advocacy Committee to discuss and consider advocating for/against. Your information will remain confidential and only your suggestions will be shared.
On behalf of the Mahopac Advocacy Committee, thank you for your participation!
Advocacy Suggestion Box
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The Northern Westchester - Putnam St. Patrick's Day parade, held in Mahopac each year, is the third largest parade in New York State. This year it will be held on Sunday, March 10 at 2 p.m. on Route 6. | |
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Mission Statement
The Mahopac CSD develops educated, upstanding citizens with practical life skills through rigorous preparation for the real world.
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Mahopac Central School District
100 Myrtle Avenue, Mahopac, NY 10541
Phone: 845-628-3415 Fax: 845-628-5502
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