Mr. Joseph Naples is a substitute teacher at Rocky Point High School with a concentration in music education who has been working within the district since November 2022. He is also a reservist who has served as a bandsman with the 78th Army Band since 2011. Over the course of the past two school years, there have been several occasions where Mr. Naples had to miss work for either scheduled military training or assigned official military orders.

To honor the school district for its ongoing support, Mr. Naples nominated Rocky Point High School for an award that recognizes employers and supervisors who directly support citizen-soldiers during their employees’ participation in the National Guard and Reserve. He presented Rocky Point High School Principal Mr. James Moeller, assistant principals Mr. Michael Gabriel and Ms. Jacqueline Lawson and social studies teacher Mr. Richard Acritelli with the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve’s Patriot Award as a surprise at a faculty meeting on April 17 at Rocky Point High School. He was joined in presenting certificates to the recipients by Mr. Hy Taylor, Military Outreach Director of the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve.

“The staff at Rocky Point have been nothing but supportive of my military obligations,” Mr. Naples said. “The high school staff have always made it a point to thank me for my service and wish me to be safe. It is a pleasure to work in an environment where the demands and importance of military service are recognized.”

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Date Added: 4/25/2024

Rocky Point hosted its inaugural Unified Basketball game on April 17 against Port Jefferson. Under the guidance of the Special Olympics and supported by Section XI, the concept is to pair unified athletes (students with disabilities) with unified partners (students without disabilities) on the court at the same time, providing an equal opportunity for all to contribute to the success of the team through their unique skills and qualities.

The team consists of 19 members in grades 9-12 and is coached by Jessica Gentile. The students are taking on leadership roles in promoting unified activities, participating in sports alongside one another and engaging the school and community in supporting the athletes.

Congratulations to all the players on their first game and we look forward to the continued success of the team throughout the remainder of the season!

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Date Added: 4/24/2024

More than 150 Rocky Point School District students performed in the New York State School Music Association Solo/Ensemble Evaluation Festival held at William Floyd High School on April 12 and 13. The purpose of the NYSSMA Solo/Ensemble Festival is to provide the students the opportunity to perform for a certified Music Educator/Adjudicator so they may receive an objective evaluation of their musical proficiency and aptitude. This evaluation not only reinforces the positive aspects of a student’s performance, but also offers helpful suggestions for improvement. Students receive an evaluation sheet that includes written comments and an assessment on their performance. Students are evaluated in several categories including: accuracy of notes/rhythms, tone, technique, intonation, scales and sight-reading. Students learn what they did well and also what they can do to further their musical growth and development.

Students prepared solo and small ensemble pieces of music from the NYSSMA approved manual of repertoire in difficulty levels I-VI, where VI is the most advanced. Additionally, 13 students prepared a Level VI All-State solo, with the hopes of receiving an invitation to participate with one of the NYSSMA All-State performing ensembles at the NYSSMA Winter Conference in Rochester, NY in December 2025. Levels I-IV are evaluated on a rating scale of 1-28 and Levels V-VI are evaluated on a scale of 1-100.

The evaluation categories for NYSSMA Levels I-IV are:

26-28 Outstanding; 21-25 Excellent; 16-20 Good; 11-15 Satisfactory. An Outstanding Rating is given only to a performer who displays a distinguished level of accomplishment.

The evaluation categories for NYSSMA Levels V-VI are:

A+ 97-100, A 93-96, A- 90-92, B+ 87-89, B 83-86, B- 80-82

The Rocky Point Music Department is proud to announce that 86 students received an “OUTSTANDING” rating and 31 students received an “EXCELLENT” rating for Levels I-IV, while 28 students received an “A+” rating and 5 students received an “A” rating for Levels V-VI. This includes 31 perfect scores!

A congratulatory message from Rocky Point Music Department chairpersons Mr. Craig Knapp and Ms. Amy Schecher read: “We are very proud of all of the students who performed at the NYSSMA Solo/Ensemble Festival. Your hard work, dedication and talent truly contribute to the superb music program we have in Rocky Point. We are extremely proud of you! We would also like to thank our incredibly enthusiastic, dedicated and devoted music faculty for helping to prepare the students for this annual festival. Thank you to the families of these talented students for all of their support and encouragement. Thank you to all of the administrators and Board of Education members in Rocky Point for their continued support of our music programs. Thank you to all involved. Our performing arts programs could not be a success without you. This was a truly remarkable weekend of music making! The students are to be acknowledged and congratulated for their stellar achievements!”

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Date Added: 4/18/2024

Students from Rocky Point High School’s Math Honor Society and Math Team took a trip to the MoMath National Museum of Mathematics in Manhattan on April 15 along with math teachers Janece Alfredson, Jenessa Eilers, Victoria Fabrizio and Carly Tribby.

The award-winning museum highlights the role of mathematics in illuminating the patterns and structures all around us. Its dynamic exhibits, galleries and programs are designed to stimulate inquiry, spark curiosity, and reveal the wonders of mathematics.

The visit reinforced much of what is learned in the classroom and also highlighted some groundbreaking discoveries in mathematics.

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Date Added: 4/18/2024

Rocky Point High School AP Art and Design students recently displayed their talents at Suffolk Community College’s Art Exhibition at the Maurice N. Flecker Memorial Art Gallery. The show exhibits the work of students from over a dozen high schools across the region.

Two seniors received top honors for their work. Katelyn Fish took home the award for Excellence in 2D for her portrait titled “Betty” bringing attention to Alzheimer's disease and what it does to a human being. Isabella Rooney received an honorable mention for her piece titled “Pressure,” which explores how perfectionism and the struggle to achieve perfection affects people in different ways. Her piece illustrates the anxiety and “pressure” that high school students feel to maintain high grades.

“The high school art department could not be prouder of our extremely talented students,” art teacher Seth Meier said.

Date Added: 4/16/2024