At Southold High School, senior Sabrina Basel is a member of the soccer and cheerleading teams, theater, on-air broadcasting through SOHO TV and is a lieutenant commander in the NJROTC.

She can now add another achievement to her impressive résumé: She’s the first female in the school’s history to receive an ROTC Marine Corps scholarship. In the fall, she plans to attend the College of the Holy Cross, a private Jesuit liberal arts college in Worcester, Mass. with a full ride from the scholarship.

Fellow students packed into the high school auditorium Thursday morning for an unknown assembly — the presentation topic had not been specified for students. The Southold-Mattituck-Greenport unit senior naval science instructor, Maj. Bill Grigonis, approached the microphone and gathered the student’s attention. 

“Today, we are here to honor one of your fellow students,” Maj. Grigonis said, his voice breaking. He then asked Sabrina, seated in the front row next to one of her fellow SOHO TV News anchors, to stand in front of the full auditorium.

With a confused expression on her face, Sabrina stood up and approached the major. Marine Corps Captain Daniel English and Sabrina’s parents, Michael and Joline, appeared from behind the stage.

“I’d like to congratulate Sabrina Basel with her selection on the ROTC scholarship which gives her a full, four-year scholarship to the college of her choosing to pursue ROTC in college,” Capt. English said.

A huge grin appeared on Sabrina’s face. Her mother wiped tears from her eyes.

Sabrina, the lieutenant commander and the Southold Company commander in the NJROTC unit, is one of three students who were selected throughout New York City and Long Island for the four-year scholarship. She competed with high school and college students from across the East Coast.

Sabrina’s mother said the family had been anxiously waiting to hear back after her daughter applied for the scholarship last June.

“We were kind of on the edge,” Ms. Basel said. “We’re just so excited, all those late nights are early mornings — it’s all paid off.”

To complete the application, Sabrina submitted a transcript, résumé and recommendation letters for assessment and wrote essays over the summer. In mid-September, she said, she completed a fitness test in Garden City.

Capt. English said amid all the talented applicants, Sabrina stood out immediately. 

“I don’t bat an eye when someone has a 4.0 GPA, or someone played some varsity sports,” he said. “But the minute that I saw Sabrina’s résumé, and the minute that she came in for her interview, I was along the way.”

As soon as he met Sabrina four years ago in the NJROTC unit, Maj. Grigonis said he knew she wanted to be a marine officer.

“When the kids walk into NJROTC their first year, you see who’s really motivated,” he said. “They become your kids in ROTC. It’s different from the classroom … for her to reach this dream, and knowing that you had a part in it. And when they graduate, it’s like a part of your heart goes with them.”

The combined NJROTC program with Southold, Greenport and Mattituck has 268 students, 102 of whom are from Southold.

The North Fork NJROTC unit has averaged about 11,550 hours of community service each year, Maj. Grigonis said.

knalepinski@timesreview.com

Photo caption: Major Bill Grigonis (left), Southold High School student Sabrina Basel and Marine Corps Captain Daniel English honor the student Thursday after she was awarded a four-year scholarship from the ROTC Marine Corps. (Kate Nalepinski photo)

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Students, faculty and community members calling Southold schools may have taken note of the different phone number for the district as of this academic year. 

Audio and visual specialist Erik Kehl and network and systems specialist Tom Schade presented the reason for the phone number change and additional security updates at Wednesday’s board meeting. 

Mr. Kehl said he created the presentation outlining the district changes after receiving questions from faculty and staff regarding security updates in the high school. Superintendent David Gamberg said the duo recently attended a bi-weekly administrator meeting and gave the same presentation.

The district completed the updates to their phone system and set up an automated prompter for callers Nov. 11, 2018. The new primary number for callers outside of the district is 631-765-5400. 

“This way, as your student moves up [in the district], you don’t have to know a new number,” Mr. Kehl said. 

Mr. Kehl said the previous number for the elementary school was also the primary school fire alarm line, meaning it was used by faculty to call in case of a fire emergency in the elementary school. Because it could only handle one call at a time, the district needed to leave the line open for fire alarm notifications, Mr. Kehl said. 

“We really don’t want to be using our fire alarm line as parents are calling,” he said. 

Prior to the phone update, high school faculty couldn’t contact elementary school faculty in the classrooms through the phone system. The system has been cleaned up to provide crossover in the buildings, Mr. Kehl said. An employee directory is attached to the internal phone system. 

In the future, the district will see additional indoor security cameras for hallways and stairwells, video intercom services at the main entrances of both schools, keyless entry card swipes on exterior doors in both schools and monitoring of exterior doors.

The Raptor Security System, a tool that manages school visitors, was also implemented this year, Mr. Kehl said, which makes it easier for staff to direct visitors. Visitors are asked to present one form of identification to security, which is then scanned and preserved in the district’s records. 

Greenport, Mattituck-Cutchogue, Riverhead, and Shoreham-Wading River districts have the Raptor system in all school buildings.

Mr. Kehl and Mr. Schade will give the same presentation at the Feb. 4 faculty meeting at the high school, where Mr. Kehl hopes to make all faculty download the RAVE Panic Button, a phone app which provides faculty and staff with contacts for emergency circumstances. 

knalepinski@timesreview.com

Photo caption: The Southold School Board listened to a presentation about the Raptor Security System Wednesday. (Kate Nalepinski photo)

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The Southold Union Free School District’s proposed 2019-2020 budget of $30.6 million will remain within the tax cap, administrators said.

The Assistant Superintendent for Business, Chuck Scheid, delivered a presentation to the board Wednesday night which reviewed the district’s sources of revenue and major budget drivers.

All programs, staff and services in the district will remain intact, Superintendent David Gamberg said in an email Friday.

The new budget is a 2.07 percent increase from last year’s budget of $29.9 million.

The majority of the budget, $15.6 million, will go toward employee salaries. Slightly over half of Mattituck-Cutchogue’s $40.7 million budget will go toward salaries and related costs, as previously reported in The Suffolk Times.

In Southold, $8.2 million will go to employee and staff benefits. The additional expenditures are in transportation, BOCES costs, debt services, special education, and more.

The Southold budget will add a full-time security guard at the elementary school, Mr. Gamberg said. The district only has one security guard working in both buildings.

The district’s main source of revenue is through the tax levy — bringing in $27.2 million, a 3.01 percent increase from last year.

Roughly $1.8 million will come from state aid, with an additional $1.6 million in federal aid and NJROTC programs, tuition, using money from the Capital Reserve, additional funding, and shared personnel services with the Greenport district.

The district expects to spend $309,482 of the $9.6 million in the district’s capital reserve. The expenditures would go into retirement, workers’ compensation, unemployment, and employee benefit accrued liability.

Mr. Gamberg said the proposal is subject to change. The board will meet once more prior to the April 17 budget adoption.

knalepinski@timesreview.com

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HIGH HONOR ROLL

Grade 12: Sabrina Basel, Jonathan Baumann, Ally Boyle, Eric Connolly, Olivia Daddona, Caitria Demeroto, Samantha Dunne, Robert Elliston, Peter Franke, Justin Hanold, Van Karsten, Max Kruszeski, Anakin Mignone, Marie Mullen, Jake Okula, Joseph Owens, Emiliann Palermo, Emily Russell, Olivia Saccamano, Dante Tramontana, Michael Wineberger.

Grade 11: Walter (Cole) Brigham IV, Jacquelyn Constantine, William Dickerson, Elizabeth Drumm, Cailin Duffy, Elizabeth Jernick, Kate Jones, Kathryn Kilcommons, Olivia Lynch, Julia Mejsak, Jessica Mele, Simon Mraz, Ella Neese, Anna Yao Reilly, Steven Russell, Kaitlin Tobin, Rhian Tramontana, Molly Tuthill, Nicholas Vicinanza, Sean Ward.

Grade 10: Grace Brodarick, Andrew Clausen, Gabriela Contreras, Hanna DeSimone, Nicolas Diaz, Jack Giovanniello, Danielle Henry, Julia Jaklevic, Joseph Kneuer, Kelli McHugh, Matthew Mullen, Annamaria Napolitano, Samuel Owens, Stephen Palermo, Juliet Rand, Kaia Rothman, Bianca Secaida, Tamara Vidal Vanegas, Benjamin Ward.

Grade 9: Eleanora Alloway, Angel Grace Almedilla, Annie Antonucci, Angelina Bokina, Nikolas Cartselos, Naomi Cichanowicz, Robert Cooper, Robert Corazzini III, Emma DeTour, Lane Dominy, Brendan Duffy, Victoria Feeney, Melissa Grzegorczyk, Evelyn Helinski, Tate Klipstein, Christine Kneuer, Alyssa Kollen, Natalie Kopala, Kenny Lin, Jonathan Lopez, Isaiah Mraz, Jack Murray, David Okula Jr., Ryan Palumbo, Isabelle Penny, Katie Russell, Connor Wilinski, Gabriella Zaffino.

Grade 8: Joanna Anderson, Emily Baumann, Malena Bendik, Noah Benson, Noah Berry, Gabriella Bifulco, Quincy Brigham, Danna Duarte Giron, Kaitlyn Duffy, Holly Escalante Caravante, Luke Gibbs, Jack Goscinski, Cayla Harley-Hardnett, Erin Hoyt, Benjamin Jernick, Travis Keller, Brendan Kilcommons, Jessica Latham, Ella Luhrs, Francesca Lynch, Hunter Magnuson, Anna McCarthy, Brienna McFarland, Matthew Molnar, Gabrielle Nguyen, Jaden Olsen, Pablo Palencia Sandoval, Camille Ramone, Violet Rand, Mei Reilly, Maya Reilly, Sara Serrano, Jeniffer Serrano Campos, Nathalie Steskal, Megan Tobin, Jay Tramontana, Karly Ward.

Grade 7: Milana Albanese, Angelly Avila – Rosales, Sofia Bartolani, Kelly Bruer, Jocelin Campos – Velasquez, Jordani Chacon, Nicole Corazzini, Mae Dominy, Amy Estrada, Alexa Feeney, Aiko Fujita, Katherine Garms, Sofia Gillan, Amelia Harmon, Isabel Hegel, Bryan Henry, Jocelyn Kaelin, Caige Kaessinger, Flynn Klipstein, Mackenzie Koke, Briseyda Lopez, Rose Lopez Duenas, Evan Maskiell, Blanca Mejia, Michelle Menjivar Leon, Naomi Mraz, Nyla Olsen, Madeline Palumbo, Dylan Reilly, Ava Rose, Bernadette Scott, James (Jack) Sepenoski Jr., Thomas Sklodowski, Lindsy Taggart, Diego Umana, Skyler Valderrama, Kathleen Ward, Grace Zehil, Tristan Zugmeyer.

HONOR ROLL

Grade 12: Sergio Alburez Alvarez, Jack Antonucci, Patrick Connolly, Michael Daddona, Tyler DeFrese, Gabriella Drumm, Courtney Kruk, Jose Martinez Ascencio, Fiona Merrill, Rosanna Mollica, Marco Palencia Sandoval, Katherine Patchell, Marissa Rackwitz, Gianna Regina, Casie Vaccariello.

Grade 11: Amanda Bardsley, Jack Cosmadelis, James Duffy, Elizabeth Garcia Palencia, Ashley Heath, James Hoyt, Kenneth Latham, Elizabeth Quinones, Stephen Schill, Emma Whittington-Quarty, Anisia Yang.

Grade 10: Patrick Allen, Jennifer Canizalez Macua, Ryan Deerkoski, Caroline Koslosky, Jaishaun McRae-Carden, Alexis Merino Fernandez, Matthew Messana, Silvia Rackwitz, Magda Rodriguez, Rodezsa Ma Santillan, Reese Thompson, Samantha Tondo.

Grade 9: Katherin Alvarenga Garcia, Landon Bennett, Thomas Cardi, Dominick Giovanniello, Anthony Jimenez Euceda, Conor Kilcommons, Angela Kollen, William Laines Gatica, Diana Puluc Curup, William Ramirez Miguel, Jack Reilly, Matthew Schill, Kathryn Vitiello.

Grade 8: Wyatt Carter, Lexandra Davis, Robert Doering, William Earl, Nathaniel Girzadas, Bela Gogiashvili, Amanda Lasot, Yeimy (Jamie) McCarthy, Brendan Mullen, Jack Owens, Fernando Rodriguez, Savanna Smith.

Grade 7: Giavonna Bolletino, Daniel Cartselos, Anna Cooper, Kimberly Escobar, Tristan Healy, Alex Lopez Olmos, Anahy Merino Fernandez, Olivia Misiukiewicz, Ariana Montenegro, Luke Newman, Brian Schill, James Treharne, Maylin Velasquez-Cortave.

COMMENDED STUDENTS

Rachel Garms, Ashley Lang, Michael McFarland, Adonis Rodriguez Lima, Veny Tapia, Christos Verveniotis.

The post Southold Junior-Senior High: Third-quarter honor roll appeared first on Suffolk Times.

They might not be able to drive a car legally, but that won’t stop them from operating a boat.

By the time seventh-graders at Southold schools advance to eighth grade, they’ve already received a state certification in boating — a mandatory part of the school curriculum for over a decade.

But that’s just the tip of the iceberg: This year, the class performed better than ever, obtaining a 90 percent pass ratio on the exam, Southold teacher Jason Wesnofske said.

Mr. Wesnofske, who teaches the 10-week American Boating Class, developed by the United States Power Squadron, said the program is exclusive to two school districts in Suffolk County: Southold and Northport-East Northport.

“They see us at the right time,” he said, “since they start in January and by the time it gets warm, they get their boating certificate, and the course ends at the beginning of National Boater Safety week,” which was May 18-24.

During the course, students learn about life jacket safety, navigation, directional terms and more. To earn certification, students must score 80 or above on the final exam.

This year, 68 students received their certifications from Captain Fred Smith of Peconic Bay Power Squadron, a unit of the U.S. Power Squadron. Capt. Smith has also taught boating classes at Southold Free Library.

“He comes in and kicks off our stuff, and he gives us the benchmarks and checks, but he’s the one that actually certifies them,” Mr. Wesnofske said.

Teacher Matt Pfister, who’s been working the waterfront with his father since he was a child, said about 25 to 50 percent of the students enrolled in the class own a family boat or have sailing experience.

“A lot of them bring in their own stories and we try to feed off of that to kind of get them introduced,” he said. “It’s all about getting them confident with the rules of the road, so to speak, and getting them acquainted with what they’re going to do.”

After successfully completing the course, some students composed letters thanking Capt. Smith for their certificates.

Seventh-grader Grace Zehil plans to use her certification this summer to become an instructor at Southold Yacht Club and “go boating into Greenport or Shelter Island for ice cream.”

“It will be a great summer now that I am able to drive a boat,” Grace wrote.

Mr. Pfister, who is certified to operate a six-person boat, said the one of the most important parts of the boating community is knowing that if someone is in distress, it’s essential to help them out.

Seventh-grade student Mia Albanese said the course will improve dialogue between her and her father, Richard Albanese, who is the Greenport Village harbor master.

“Now I will be able to have more of a conversation with him about boats, safety and our local waters,” Mia wrote. “I will be able to help dock boats and help with maintenance down at the marina.”

Photo caption: Southold seventh-graders receive their boating certificates May 17 after completing a 10-week boating course. (Courtesy photo)

knalepinski@timesreview.com

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To see her 11-year-old son, Daniel, play piano at Carnegie Hall on June 2 was a dream come true for Peconic resident Liliana Rila.

“It was such an unforgettable experience,” Ms. Rila said. “It was a magical evening.”

Daniel, a sixth-grader at Southold Elementary school, had the chance to play at the world-renowned music hall after coming in second in the international “Little Mozarts” competition, hosted by New York City-based nonprofit Crescendo International Music. The piece he performed at the winner’s recital June 2 was Mozart’s “Rondo Alla Turca.”

“In the beginning he was nervous, but he somehow managed to make two friends in the group of kids performing … and then he was not nervous at all,” Ms. Rila said. “He really enjoyed playing at Carnegie Hall.”

Daniel began playing the piano when he was about 4 1/2, practicing about a half hour a week, his mother said. He first took lessons with Southold piano teacher Laurie DiBartolo, and later began studying improvisation and jazz with East End composer George Cork Maul. He practices several hours a day, but on his own schedule, Ms. Rila said.

“For him, piano is like a release from everything,” his mother said. “When he’s tired, he goes and practices piano. When he’s happy, he goes and practices piano. It’s his escape.”

Ms. Rila, an accountant, and her husband, Daniel, who works in real estate, moved to the North Fork from Bucharest, Romania, in 1998, and their son, named after Mr. Rila, was born nine years later. Mr. Rila’s mother, Ana Rila, arrived to stay with the couple when Daniel was just one day old, and has helped to look after him while they worked. When Ana was young she dreamed of becoming a teacher, but her dream ended when her father died immediately after World War II and her access to higher education became impossible.

“I feel so much joy seeing my grandson successfully in what he loves doing the most,” Ana, 86, said. “I am proud of him and I feel that my life is complete. This is the best place to be and I hope children realize the door is open for endless opportunities.”

Piano is not Daniel’s only talent — he also excels in tennis, ranked 65th in the eastern region and 600th in the United States in his age group. His mother said he also loves studying American history and his rescued German shepherd, Sparky, who he takes to all his tennis practices.

“Regardless of rankings or awards, to see the smile on my son’s face at the end of a performance is priceless,” Daniel’s father said. “It doesn’t matter what Danny will decide to dedicate to, I am positive that his two passions — music and tennis — will have a positive impact in his life”.

In the future, Daniel plans to organize either a tennis tournament or music event as a fundraiser benefiting North Fork Animal League Welfare, according to his mother. She also said that Daniel is eager to continue his studies and continue entering competitions.

“He’s ready to go to the next one,” she said. “He’s started the engine … he doesn’t want it to end.”

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An accidental switching of competitors’ scores during the National Academic Association’s recent academic bowl cost Southold High School’s junior-varsity quiz team a spot in the playoffs, a representative from NAA said.

After 20 years as founder and adviser to Southold’s JV and varsity academic quiz teams, teacher Ivan Santiago finally saw one of them qualify for nationals.

The team of six Southold students traveled to Washington, D.C., for the NAA academic bowl, held May 30 through June 2, where about 75 teams of elementary, middle and high school students competed head-to-head.

But Mr. Santiago’s joy was short-lived: Despite winning four of six matches, the team was incorrectly ranked seventh — just missing the sixth-place mark to move on to playoffs.

Members of the Southold team — co-captains Joseph Kneuer and Benjamin Ward, Matthew Messana and Matthew Mullen, all sophomores, and freshmen Ellie Alloway and Christine Kneuer — brought knowledge and special interest in a mix of disciplines to the contest, Mr. Santiago said.

“This year, we have a liberal arts student, a mathematics student, a history student, a pop culture student,” he said. “I expected the team to do very well, but I didn’t expect them to get so far.”

The team had placed fourth in the Long Island Academic Long Island Academic Competition held by Regional Quiz Bowl and was then invited to one of the four NAA competitions. They had high hopes for their first nationals game.

So when the incorrect results appeared on the display screen at the competition, Benjamin said, he was surprised.

“Out of the six games, the general consensus was if you won four and lost two, you’d probably move on,” he said. “But it was our first time there, we weren’t really sure what we were doing … We just assumed we had done not as well, and that was it.”

According to the organization’s website, advancement to the final-day single elimination round is determined by performance in the six preliminary games. All teams with win-loss records of 6-0, 5-1 and 4-2 make the playoffs, it states.

Mr. Santiago said he didn’t question it; he just assumed that other schools with a 4-2 record somehow had a higher accumulation of points.

But after final results were posted last Tuesday, Southold High School students, parents and teachers came to a stark realization: The scores for Southold and Paul Blazer High School from Ashland, Ky., had been reversed — leaving Southold with an inaccurate 3-3 record. In fact, Mr. Santiago said, Southold’s total points were higher than four of the top six teams.

Charles Beall, executive director of NAA, responded to a frustrated joint email from parents Mimi and John Kneuer and Nicole Alloway by offering Southold a $100 voucher toward the $600 entry fee for the 2020 competition, Mr. Santiago said.

“Believe me, you can’t be any more disappointed than I about this outcome,” Mr. Beall wrote in a June 7 email to the parents. “It’s our error, to be sure, and I’ve reprimanded the moderator who transposed the scores.”

In a phone interview, Mr. Beall said such errors happen annually. However, he said, this is the first year they weren’t notified in advance and able to modify the score list. This year, he added, teams were urged to keep track of their own scores throughout the competition.

“It’s a miscarriage of justice and, ultimately, it’s on us,” he said. “But on the other hand, I said to them, ‘You need you to share in the blame for this. You need to advise us of any errors.’ ”

Regardless, all members plan to remain with the JV team. They’ll shoot for the playoffs next year, Benjamin said.

“We have a bunch of strong members, and we make a great team,” he said.

knalepinski@timesreview.com

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The Southold High School Class of 2019 celebrated its graduation Saturday morning with its commencement ceremony in the auditorium.

The students then went to the front of the school for the ceremonial tossing of the graduation caps.

Photographer Bill Landon captured the ceremony. Learn more about the class in this Thursday’s issue of The Suffolk Times.

See more photos below:

Valedictorian Marie Mullen

Salutatorian Dante Tramontana

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The Greenport Board of Education elected Daniel Creedon as its president Tuesday night following a split nomination.

Board member Kristen Droskoski had nominated previous president Babette Cornine, which was seconded by Mr. Creedon. Shortly after, board member Kimbery Moore Swann nominated Mr. Creedon for the role, which board member Sandy Martocchia seconded.

Distric clerk Linda O’Leary asked for the members to vote and Mr. Creedon received three votes while Ms. Cornine received two. Mr. Creedon was then sworn-in by Ms. O’Leary to become president for the 2019-20 academic year.

Mr. Creedon joined the board in 2009 and served as vice president from 2013-2015. He then served as president during the 2015-2016 academic year. Ms. Cornine, who started serving in 2012, was unanimously voted board president in July 2016, according to district records.

In a 5-0 vote, the board elected Ms. Droskoski as vice president that evening.

Prior to the selection of the board president nominations, newly elected board members — Ms. Martocchia and Ms. Moore Swann were sworn in. Both join the board for three-year terms.

In Southold, district officials reappointed Paulette Ofrias as board president and Judi Fouchet as board vice president at Wednesday’s meeting.

The two board members were sworin in by district clerk Patricia DiGregorio after being selected in unanimous votes.

Ms. Ofrias, co-owner of Southold Pharmacy, has served on the Southold board for 14 years and as board president for the past seven years.

Ms. Fouchet, who has served on the board since 2004, was re-elected to serve for another three-year term in May. She ran unopposed.

Ms. Fouchet has served as vice president of the board since 2010. She’s been reelected every year, according to district records.

Both women were instrumental in fostering a relationship between Southold and Greenport school districts that has resulted in their sharing the services of Superintendent David Gamberg and other administrators and expanding shared services and activities between the two districts, according to previous reports.

Photo caption: Greenport BOE president Daniel Creedon, left, and Superintendent David Gamberg. (Credit: Kate Nalepinski)

knalepinski@timesreview.com

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Each year, just 22 out of more than 80,000 cadets nationwide are selected for the coveted Legion of Valor Bronze Cross for Achievement ROTC award. Early last month, Jessica Mele of Southold High School became one of two cadets from the Navy Junior ROTC northeast region to be recognized for their leadership and citizenship. 

Major William Grigonis, who serves as senior naval science instructor for the Southold-Mattituck NJROTC program, said each year he can recommend one of his students for the honor. That recommendation then goes to Commander Jimmy Miller — the manager of the northeast region, known as Area 4 — who selects nominees.

Maj. Grigonis said Jessica’s record stood out among the cadets at Southold, Mattituck and Greenport high schools.

“She’s an amazing young lady, she really is,” he said.

Cmdr. Miller selected Jessica and Anthony Auciello, a senior at William Floyd High School in Mastic Beach as winners of the northeast region for how they embrace the core NJROTC values of honor, commitment, citizenship, selflessness and integrity.

“Out of my 65 schools, I will get one, maybe two candidates from each school and I narrow those hundred or so down to two,” said Cmdr. Miller. “It’s a pretty competitive recognition. The three main things I’m looking for [are] academic standing within the school, military standing and participation — how they are performing in their unit and their service to the community.”

Jess, 17, is a senior at Southold who plays volleyball and softball. She attended the Area 4 leadership academy twice, once as a cadet and once as an aide. A two-week military training stint at the academy affirmed how she wants to lead her life after high school, she said. She accepted her award during a freshman-parent orientation on Sept. 9, but found out about it back in May.

“We were at a drill competition and it was like 7 o’clock in the morning and [Maj. Grigonis] kind of just said it in front of everyone,” Jess said. “I was almost in tears when I found out. I didn’t tell my parents until I got home that day; that was just kind of how important it was.”

Jess’s mother, Kim, said the entire experience was a surprise.

“I just remember my daughter coming home and rattling off to my husband and I that she got this award,” she said. The award included a plaque, a certificate and a medal.

Jess said she hopes to gain admission to SUNY/Maritime on an NJROTC scholarship and then enter into the Navy. She hopes to play volleyball in college as well.

“I really wanted to find a school that was suitable for me,” she said. “I’m very active on my volleyball team and on my travel volleyball team.”

Maj. Grigonis said the award is the highlight of each year.

“You wait for it, you hope … Now, I’m waiting to see if Jess Mele gets a full-ride Navy scholarship … She’s already gotten with the coach. The team members already are embracing her. She’s going to get in, she’s got the grades.”

Most of the students who have earned the award over the years — nine from Southold High School in Maj. Grigonis’ 19 years here — go on to earn various, often full-ride scholarships and then enter into the military.

“Dante Tramontana, who got it last year, he’s on a full four-year Army scholarship to University of Georgia,” the major said. “My daughter, Jamie Grigonis, went on a full four-year Army scholarship to Fordham and now she’s going to be second lieutenant. Lauren Solo went to Northeastern on a five-year Navy nurse scholarship and now she’s a lieutenant in the Army … We’ve done pretty good.”

Maj. Grigonis said that the award is based on a cadet’s first three years in NJROTC. Nominees are chosen based on their grade point averages, fitness, community involvement and unit service. Cadets must be in the top 10% of their NJROTC class in order to be considered for the award, which Jess described as recognition for military excellence and academic success. Jess had a near-4.0 GPA and high SAT scores, according to the major.

“They take into account — is she a member of drill team? Has she commanded drill team? Has she risen in the ranks?” Maj. Grigonis said. “She’s presently command[ing officer] of the Southold unit … Does she provide things to the unit that other cadets don’t? And she does. Jess is, you know, what I would consider the total package.”

Throughout high school, Jess has kept up with community service by way of beach clean-ups and supporting local events. She takes part in drill practices, which, she said, inspire her to push that much harder.

“I think that’s where a lot of my motivation comes from, commanding my inspection team and really getting to know everyone else,” Jess said. “It’s something you don’t realize you should get recognition for because it’s something that I had so much fun doing; it was just part of my lifestyle.”

Under the guidance of Maj. Grigonis, Senior Chief Petty Officer Charlie Turner and his wife, Petty Officer First Class Felicity Turner — who junior officers and senior commanders work with on a near-daily basis — Jess said she has become the person she is today.

“They definitely have influenced my through the classroom, through drill practices and just being there as role models in life,” she said.

mkhan@timesreview.com

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Southold Union Free School District and Peconic Bay Medical Center officials unveiled a new “fit pit” at Southold Elementary School Wednesday.

The new exercise facility is part of Project Fit America’s fitness education program. The outdoor equipment, training tools and curriculum for teachers was brought to the school through a $25,000 grant from PBMC.

Southold Elementary School principal Ellen O’Neill thanked both organizations, and coaches Peter Salerno and John Palmeri for their commitment to physical education.

“Our coaches are amazing,” Ms. O’Neill said, “and having Project Fit equipment is going to make our phys ed department and program a whole lot better.”

PBMC deputy executive director Amy Loeb said the hospital aims to reduce the number of patients who enter.

“How you do that is by being healthy — and being healthy starts now for all you kids,” she said.

Ms. O’Neill, Mr. Salerno and Mr. Palmeri cut a ribbon which formally unveiled the new facility. Students from both teacher’s physical education classes demonstrated how to use the new equipment.

Public use of the equipment is encouraged, Ms. O’Neill said.

“This is not just for during the school day,” Ms. O’Neill said. “Feel free to bring your relatives and friends and show them how to use the equipment and get some exercise in while you can.”

In 2013, PBMC spearheaded the initiative to bring Project Fit America to New York State and made Riverhead Central School District the first of its kind in the state.

In June 2018, PBMC officials surprised the school with an announcement that they had won the sponsorship.

See more photos below:

Southold Elementary School principal Ellen O’Neill and coaches Peter Salerno and John Palmeri cut a ribbon to formally unveil the new facility Wednesday.

Southold Elementary School students Connie Benson and Lindsay Zaffino present a thank-you note to Peconic Bay Medical Center public relations and community outreach manager Olivia Basaly, PBMC deputy executive director Amy Loeb and elementary school physical education teacher Peter Salerno Wednesday for their efforts to bring the Project Fit facility to Southold.

Southold Elementary School physical education teacher Peter Salerno speaks about the benefits of the new equipment.

Southold Elementary School students and teachers crowd around the new Project Fit America “fit pit,” a nickname given to the facility by school faculty.

Southold Elementary School students from Peter Salerno and John Palmeri’s physical education classes demonstrate how to use the new exercise equipment.

Students from Mr. Salerno and Mr. Palmeri’s physical education classes and school teachers gather at the new facility Wednesday.

A Southold Elementary School student swings across metal monkey bars Wednesday. The equipment is part of the new Project Fit America equipment.

Southold Elementary School students perform a step-up exercise on the new playground Wednesday.

The new exercise facility, unveiled Wednesday, is part of Project Fit America’s fitness education program. The outdoor equipment, training tools and curriculum for teachers was brought to the school through a $25,000 grant from Peconic Bay Medical Center.

Students raise their hands after Southold Elementary School principal Ellen O’Neill asks if they have used the new exercise equipment Wednesday.

knalepinski@timesreview.com

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A Southold Elementary School student was approached at a bus stop two weeks ago by a man who offered to give her a ride to school, according to Southold Town police.

The incident occurred at approximately 8 a.m., when a black man in a four-door gray car offered to drive the girl to school by saying she had missed the bus. The girl refused and the man drove off, according to a Dec. 5 letter from Superintendent David Gamberg to Southold families.

“The safety of your children is of utmost importance to us,” Mr. Gamberg wrote. “We are sending this letter as a precaution and to encourage you to continue to speak to your child about staying safe, specifically about ‘stranger danger.’ ”

Mr. Gamberg’s letter listed safety measures parents should discuss with their kids.

Elementary school principal Ellen O’Neill reported the incident to police last Wednesday, according to a police report. Police interviewed the student, who said the man approached her on either Monday or Tuesday of the previous week.

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The sky’s the limit for digital citizenship.

That’s what Southold School District faculty proposed to an audience of roughly 20 people at The Video Show, a video content-focused conference held in Washington, D.C., Dec. 4-5.

Superintendent David Gamberg, Southold High School technology teacher Jason Wesnofske and audio/visual specialist Eric Kehl gave a 45-minute presentation about Southold’s student broadcast program, SOHO TV, and student learning.

The seminar revealed why and how video production at the high-school level can play a prominent role in educating students in the years ahead, according to the event page.

“We put forward the notion that today’s learning is different than your grandparents’ learning in that having a TV broadcasting program is not just a luxury — but it almost becomes a necessity,” Mr. Gamberg said, “to allow novice student-learners the opportunity to learn how to be responsible with what they do in a digital world.”

Mr. Wesnofske said the presentation also discussed how SOHO TV students are learning to be appropriate on social media.

“It is remarkable … to see how we are on-point with what we should be doing with how to be appropriate and how you build a digital footprint for the rest of your life,” he said.

In his 13 years in education, Mr. Wesnofske said the conference was the highlight of his career thus far.

“I was blessed to be able to go and showcase all that Southold does,” he said.

The presentation also included a video from a SOHO TV student who said he knows he’s successful when his package makes it onto the weekly episode and when his uncle in Texas talks about what he sees his nephew doing. Mr. Gamberg said that demonstrates the value of hands-on learning.

“Now think about that — in terms of the value of work and learning taking place in real time,” he said. “I think that these are the kinds of things that we’re very proud of the work that’s taking place.”

SOHO TV reaches a weekly audience of about 1,000 viewers and annually co-hosts the Broadcast Awards for Senior High School event, where Long Island school districts submit packages to be judged.

Photo caption: Southold Superintendent David Gamberg presented at the event. (Courtesy photo)

knalepinski@timesreview.com

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There are some teenagers who dream big only to lose sight of their vision and there are those who stay committed and are rewarded with scholarships to study abroad. Juliet Rand of Southold falls into the latter category.

The 16-year-old Southold High School junior was recently selected as a runner-up for the World Language Student of the Year Award in New York, offered by the New York State Association of Foreign Language Teachers and the nonprofit Council on International Educational Exchange. The organizations partnered to “recognize student achievement in language learning,” according to the CIEE website. Among 170 nominees from across the state, Juliet ranked in the top three, winning a $2,500 scholarship for her outstanding French language skills. 

Virginia Gilmore, Juliet’s French teacher, is a member of NYSAFLT and nominated her for the scholarship because, as she put it, “How could I not?”

“The way that I came to know her, she had the lead in one of the [musicals],” said Ms. Gilmore. “I’ve been teaching a long time. Periodically, when you see someone that’s an incredible talent, it’s like a miracle. I walked out of the auditorium that night thinking, ‘This girl is going to be famous.’ ”

Juliet also earned a Global Navigator Merit Scholarship from CIEE, which will enable her to spend this summer studying language and culture in France. Of the various cities offered, Juliet chose Renn, where the four-week, full immersion language program is most intense. There, she will live with a non-English-speaking host family, attend three hours of morning French language classes each day and participate in guided afternoon excursions to cultural and historical sites. In addition to her language skills, she is a dedicated student who performs well academically. Her interest in French first sprouted from her interest in opera.

“When I was little, I just always loved music, so my grandparents took me to an opera concert at a vineyard and I saw these singers and I was like, ‘That is what I want to do,’ ” Juliet said. “My grandma had me talk to one of the performers afterward and said, ‘What can my granddaughter do to start focusing her career in music?’ He said, ‘Have her take piano lessons,’ so I started piano lessons and that was in fifth grade. And then I started taking opera lessons in seventh grade. From there, I was just experiencing all of the different languages from opera music because most pieces aren’t in English. Typically [they are in] Italian, French, German, and I just found a new love and appreciation for language.”

She said that she found, through opera, just how beautiful the French language was.

Juliet’s mother, Heather Rand, an elementary school teacher in the Comsewogue School District, explained her daughter’s musical upbringing and resolve to become a professional opera singer. 

“She just kind of fell in love with the French language,” Ms. Rand said, “but she had been taking Spanish since the seventh grade.”

From in-school practice to private tutoring, Juliet managed to get placed in French IV on an accelerated track, well before most of her peers. She also completed Spanish IV.

“It was [Ms. Gilmore] who had let us know about this organization,” said Ms. Rand. “[Juliet] is really excited to do it. She’s very much an extrovert. She loves people, loves learning about culture, loves learning about language.”

In 10th grade, on a high school trip to Europe, Juliet saw some of what France had to offer, even spontaneously singing in front of the Paris Opera House. 

“I sang ‘Think of Me’ from ‘Phantom of the Opera,’ ” she said. “Oh, it was amazing. I hope to one day sing at the opera house, inside of it.”

Her mother said the trip was a whirlwind two and a half weeks, during which Juliet seized every opportunity to talk to people and immerse herself in the culture.

Juliet’s language skills go hand in hand with her musical passion and prowess. She has been singing, her mother and grandmother say, since she was born. She is also a proficient pianist and organist who has, since age 9, been playing and singing at Sunday Mass at St. Patrick’s Church in Southold. Her younger sister, Violet, 14, also participates. A keyboardist at the church invited Juliet to sing with him one day and from there she would come in every week, inspired to take organ lessons. She volunteers, too, at St. John the Evangelist R.C. Church in Riverhead, singing and performing for the congregation.

Juliet, who is also involved in dance and drama performances, additionally studies voice with Martha Tibbetts in Huntington. Ms. Tibbetts is helping Juliet prep for college auditions. She hopes to study classical voice, and eventually opera. Her top college choices include Manhattan School of Music, New England Conservatory of Music in Boston and The Juilliard School in New York City.

“She is so passionate about it,” Ms. Rand said. “I don’t have to fight with her to practice or go. She loves doing it.”

Juliet said that ultimately, her goal is to spread her love and appreciation of music to others.

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Southold Town Police were dispatched to Southold High School Thursday morning after a student was approached by a middle-aged man on her way to school, district officials said. 

At approximately 7:40 a.m., a female high school student was approached by the driver of a silver or light-gray mini-van on Traveler Street near the Southold Free Library.

The man offered the student a ride to school. The student refused, proceeded to school and immediately reported the incident to Southold Junior/Senior High School principal Terence Rusch.

“The student is absolutely safe,” Mr. Rusch said.

Mr. Rusch immediately notified Southold Town Police and Southold Elementary School officials after hearing of the incident.

A robocall was sent out to parents in the district, as well as in Greenport, around 8 a.m. Thursday morning, he said. Around that time, police arrived at the school and interviewed the student. 

“The Southold Town Police were extremely prompt in getting to the school right away,” Mr. Rusch said. “Not only was an officer dispatched here, but our [school resource officer] came. They were also relaying information right to police headquarters as they were receiving it from the student. It was very timely and they handled it extremely well.”

Southold police Chief Martin Flatley said in an email Thursday afternoon that police are working on identifying the vehicle and operator.

Superintendent David Gamberg said in an email that the district “acted immediately to insure the safety of all students.” He added that a letter about the incident is being mailed to families and will be available on the district website. 

Mr. Rusch said high school students were made aware of the incident and were reminded to follow safety precautions prior to their lunch periods. Middle school teachers will be reviewing the incident with seventh and eighth grader students during advisory before heading home Thursday, he said.

In late November, the district notified parents of an incident where a Southold Elementary student was approached at a bus stop and offered a ride to school. The girl refused the driver left in that incident.

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Amid the worldwide COVID-19 outbreak, Southold High School officials have canceled the annual student trip to Italy in April, officials confirmed Tuesday. 

The trip, planned for April 2-14, may be rescheduled for later this year, rerouted or canceled altogether, according to principal Terence Rusch. District officials are waiting to obtain more information from the Boston-based educational travel company Explorica. 

“It could be a later time, it could be elsewhere — we’re waiting for them to give us all possible options so we can review it with parents involved,” Mr. Rusch said.

Mr. Rusch, Superintendent David Gamberg and Ivan Santiago, the trip’s faculty coordinator, made the decision to cancel last Friday, in order to meet the March 2 cancellation deadline to obtain a full refund, he said. That decision was approved by the Board of Education. 

However, that deadline has now been extended to March 6, and may be extended further after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shifted from a Level 2 precaution warning to a Level 3 warning — which asks travelers to avoid nonessential travel to Italy. 

This year, almost 40 students planned to take the April trip, with stops in Italy, France and Spain. This year’s trip cost approximately $3,500 per student, Mr. Rusch said.

A statement published Feb. 26 on Explorica’s website states that the travel company is following CDC and U.S. Department of State updates on travel to Italy. 

“Explorica will be working with Program Leaders to move trips coming up soon to other countries or postpone until it’s deemed safe to visit Italy again,” it states. 

Once more information is available, school representatives plans to host a meeting with parents to explain alternative arrangements, Mr. Rusch said. 

COVID-19 is a respiratory illness caused by a new novel coronavirus that can be easily spread from person to person. The CDC states that older adults and people with chronic medical conditions may be at increased risk for severe disease.

The widespread, ongoing outbreak of COVID-19 has, as of Tuesday afternoon, caused 79 deaths in Italy alone, where the number of people infected has reached 2,502, according to an online report by The New York Times. 

International airlines, including British Airways and Ryanair, have collectively suspended hundreds of flights to European countries as demand for travel drops.

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The musical comedy “A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder” will be presented by the Southold Junior-Senior High School Drama Club March 5-8 in the district auditorium.

The Tony Award-winning musical is directed by Jessica Ellwood and Casey Rooney, with musical direction by Kelli Baumann and choreography by Anita Boyer.

Curtain time is 7 p.m. Thursday to Saturday, March 5 to 7, and 2 p.m. Sunday, March 8.

Tickets ($12 for adults and $8 for students and seniors) are available at Southold Free Library or at the door. Call 631-765-5400 for more information.

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Officials in the Southold Union Free School District presented a proposed $31.3 million budget for 2020-21, which is expected to remain within the tax cap.

Charles Scheid, the assistant superintendent for business, outlined reserves, fund balances and revenues in the budget presentation for the next academic year at a Board of Education work session meeting Wednesday. 

The budget, which is subject to change, maintains two full-time security guards at each school, programs and staffing, Mr. Scheid said.

The district’s tax levy cap, or the total amount of property taxes a school district must collect to balance its budget, is 2.57 percent. 

Revenues raised by the district through property tax, or the levy, can increase no more than approximately 2%, or CPI, the Consumer Price Index, whichever is less, plus several exemptions. This year’s CPI in Southold is 1.81 percent.

The district is expected to receive $1.8 million in state aid — only 0.87 percent more than last year — and $130,000 in federal aid for the NJROTC program, Mr. Scheid said. 

Not long after Superintendent David Gamberg announced his retirement in January, district officials announced they would pursue the search for a new superintendent for Southold separately from Greenport schools. Mr. Gamberg had served in that role for both districts.

As a result, Southold will see a $75,000 drop in revenue, or 26%, Mr. Scheid said, for no longer sharing the superintendent.

The districts share services through an intermunicipal agreement established in 2013. They are expected to maintain the three other shared administrative roles: director of educational technology, plants and facilities administrator and business official. 

There’s also a significant spike in the revenue coming from shared sports between Greenport and Mattituck. Southold is expected to get 59% more revenue this year.

That number can fluctuate simply by which district is hosting each sport, Mr. Scheid said, and can cover chaperones and benefits. Expenses and revenue for shared sports are based on enrollment. 

The district will also receive $210,000 from the shared NJROTC program and $146,500 for miscellaneous. Approximately $300,000 will go toward appropriated fund balances, or money that is given back to the taxpayers, Mr. Scheid said. Years ago, appropriated fund balances was nearly $1 million — but this year it was set to fit in with this year’s tax cap. 

As of June 2019, the district had $9.2 million in its seven reserve funds. This year’s budget will take $332,250 from the retirement, worker’s comp, unemployment and employee benefit accrued liability reserves, Mr. Scheid said. 

Approximately $169,000 will be directed toward tuition, or transporting New Suffolk students and some special education students in Greenport.

This year’s budget also includes $120,000 toward capital expenditures, which cannot be converged with the district’s reserve funds.

Employee health insurance is expected to increase by 3 percent — which is relatively low, Mr. Scheid said. 

Another budget presentation is Wednesday, March 11 to review what programs the budget will fund.

NEW PROPOSITION

Voters in the Southold school district will see an additional item on the May ballot.  

The Board of Education unanimously approved a proposition Wednesday that recreates a district-wide Capital Reserve Fund.

The reserve is for the purpose of “rehabilitating, renovating, replacing and improving district facilities, buildings, structures, vehicles, systems, and installations,” as per Education Law section 3651. It will be funded up to $9.5 million per year.

The reserve is not new, Mr. Gamberg said. The previous 10-year capital reserve, which was funded up to $8.5 million each year, concluded June 2019, he said.

That previous reserve funded roofing repairs throughout the district, Mr. Gamberg said, and offset the cost of the district’s most recent $9.8 million capital improvement bond, approved in 2015, by about $2 million.

The reserve can only be established if approved by voters and money cannot be taken from it unless also approved by voters, Mr. Gamberg said. 

There’s currently $3.4 million in the reserve that will carry over if approved by voters. 

Board president Paulette Ofrias suggested that if the proposition is approved, funds be placed in local provider Bridgehampton National Bank instead of Capital One, which has seen branch closures, she said.

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Due to the coronavirus pandemic, school board elections and budget votes will be conducted a bit differently this year. The deadline for school board candidates to file nominating petitions with district clerks was Monday, ahead of a vote scheduled to take place via absentee ballot only on June 9.

Here’s a list of candidates vying for school board seats on the North Fork:

In Mattituck, three candidates are seeking two spots on the board, including incumbent Brian Mealy. The second vacancy was created in July 2019 when longtime member Charles Anderson resigned.

Former Board of Education member Mary Lynn Hoeg and retired Mattituck-Cutchogue English teacher Pat Arslanian have also filed petitions to run. Ms. Hoeg was first elected to the board in 2016 but did not seek re-election last year.

Incumbent Southold school board members Scott Latham and Brian Tobin each filed petitions to seek another term on the school board. Two seats are open.

In Greenport, where one seat is open, incumbent board member and vice president Kirsten Droskoski filed a petition for re-election, according to district officials.

There are three vacancies on the Oysterponds school board as president Jeffrey Demarest and member Janice Caufield’s terms are set to expire this year. A third seat is also available on the board as it was never filled after former member Linda Goldsmith resigned in July 2019.

Mr. Demarest, Ms. Caufield and newcomer Erin Johnson all filed petitions for the seats. The third-highest vote getter will be appointed for one year to fulfill the remainder of Ms. Goldsmith’s term.

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The Southold Board of Education hired its new superintendent at a special meeting Wednesday.

Anthony Mauro, an administrator in the Sachem Central School District, will replace outgoing superintendent David Gamberg, who has served in the role for the last 12 years.

Dr. Mauro, 52, has worked in Sachem for 16 years, the last four as an assistant superintendent for student support and administration. He has also worked as a middle school assistant principal, district director of childcare and elementary school teacher in Sachem. 

Approximately a dozen teachers and administrators attended the meeting Wednesday night to greet the new administrator.

“We are excited to welcome Dr. Mauro and know that he will continue to grow the programs that Mr. Gamberg initiated during his time at Southold and bring new initiatives as well,” Southold Board of Education president Paulette Ofrias said after the meeting.

In an interview, Dr. Mauro said he was drawn to Southold because of its strong sense of community. 

“Throughout the process, meeting people here and learning about the district, I realized that it is a place I’d absolutely love to be a part of and probably finish out my career,” he said. “It’s clearly a very supportive community, which stands out. It’s a high performing district, it’s very well rounded and supports kids in many ways.

“They’ve done absolutely wonderful things here so being able to come in and continue to support that was really appealing to me.”

Prior to Dr. Mauro’s position in Sachem, he worked as a teacher in the Commack Union Free School District, North Bellmore School District and at a parochial intermediate school in the South Bronx. He has also coached football, wrestling and track.

He began his career in education 28 years ago after leaving a career in business.

Dr. Mauro holds a degree in Business Management from Iona College, a Master’s in education from The College of New Rochelle and a Doctorate in educational leadership and technology from Dowling College. He has also earned certificates from the Harvard Leadership Academy.

The board of education began searching for a new superintendent in February through School Leadership LLC, a Malverne-based firm composed mainly of former educators and school board members. The terms of Dr. Mauro’s contract were not immediately available. He is expected to begin when Mr. Gamberg, who has also been replaced in Greenport, departs at the end of the month.

He lives with his wife, Liz, children James and Katie and mother in law, Teresa, in Commack.

Outgoing superintendent David Gamberg also welcomed Dr. Mauro to Southold.

“This is a very special place,” he said. “You’re extremely fortunate to work with an incredible staff, board of education and incredible students. It’s a reflection of the families, the upbringing, the community as a whole.”

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