In recognition of United We Stand for A Drug-Free Community Week, students from all elementary level buildings in the district took part in a number of engaging activities and lessons with the goal in mind to stay away from drugs and maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Along with their “Grandfriends” from the Arbors Assisted Living at Bohemia, students from Idle Hour Elementary School made a spiderweb craft after carefully listening to a story about Halloween. The project was an effort to showcase that the students have better things to do than drugs, as they will be able to form everlasting friendships with their “Grandfriends” during their time at Idle Hour Elementary.  

Sycamore Avenue Elementary School Youth and Family Services Coordinator Laura Michelsen directed her students in a program of skits and songs designed to emphasize self-esteem and making positive choices. A video showcasing students and teachers talking about people who have influenced their lives was an additional part of the day’s drug-prevention program.

Upperclassmen from Bosti Elementary School recently stepped into the shoes of their teachers as they presented informative health lessons about the dangers of tobacco to younger students, and also emphasized the necessity to make healthy choices.

Kindergarten students enrolled in both Linda Pennington and Elizabeth Jonas’s classes at Slocum Elementary School welcomed Stony Brook Children’s Hospital Trauma Center RN Kristi Ladowski back to the school for a Teddy Bear Clinic. The informative clinic taught the young students the importance of being safety conscious and how to prevent injuries.

Suffolk County Police Officer Wendy Verlotte visited the upperclassmen at Duffield Elementary School to warn them about the dangers of tobacco, smoking and vaping, and offer guidance on how to properly say “No” to these harmful activities. Additionally, the students were also treated to a Teddy Bear Clinic courtesy of Registered Nurse Kristi Ladowski.

Students at John Pearl Elementary School were visited by Mr. Pat and Mr. Matt of the Rose Brucia Foundation for a highly informative presentation which informed the students how to properly distinguish the difference between a stranger and someone you know. Both Pat and Matt engaged the students in a number of helpful activities which mimicked real-life scenarios in the rare case that a stranger approaches a student outside of school. The students also participated in a rock-painting activity based on the  popular children’s book “Only One You” by Linda Kranz.  

In recognition of United We Stand for A Drug-Free Community Week, students at Cherokee Street Elementary School eased their minds and took part in a relaxing yoga session taught by Youth and Family Services Coordinator Nicole Coogan. 

On Oct. 17, John Pearl Elementary School students were highly entertained during a cultural arts assembly featuring renowned stunt-comedian “Wacky Chad.”

During the assembly, Wacky Chad informed the students that they must work hard in order to achieve their goals, along with the importance of showing respect to their elders on a daily basis. Students appreciated the dedication to his work and were thrilled to see Wacky Chad perform his exciting tricks using a pogo stick, skateboard and unicycle.

Wacky Chad’s athleticism, humorous jokes and personality earned him two appearances on the nationally televised “America’s Got Talent,” along with a Super Bowl appearance. For more than a decade, Chad has entertained thousands of fans from schools to theaters and festivals all around the world.

“Students and staff members were thoroughly entertained by this award-winning presenter,” said John Pearl Elementary School Principal Susan White.