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Abigail Robillard (Credit: Courtesy photo) Max Odell (age 4) on his first day of Kindergarten at Riley Ave Elementary School (Credit: Courtesy photo) Taya Ann, first day at Pulaski Street Schoo, 5th grade (Credit: Courtesy photo) Riley Avenue 2025, 4th grade (Credit: Courtesy photo) Lila, Quinn and Elsie Corwin going into 8th, 6th and 4th grades (Credit: Courtesy photo) First day at Roanoke Ave. Elementary School (Credit: George Faella) First day at Roanoke Ave. Elementary School (Credit: George Faella) First day at Roanoke Ave. Elementary School (Credit: George Faella) Nola of Aquebogue (Credit: Courtesy photo)

Here are some recent Education headlines; scroll to the bottom for links to district calendars.

SWR District 2026 lunch program directives

Shoreham-Wading River cafeterias will be required to provide a complete meal to any student who asks for one under the state’s universal free meals program starting this year. The state program follows the National School Lunch Program as a criteria for nutrition at meal time. READ MORE

SWR High School gym fire shifts athletics, phys ed activities

Superintendent Gerard Poole said water damages to the gym floor — a result of efforts to extinguish the fire — will require “major renovation,” but all other areas will be open for the start of the year. Work to replace the floor has already begun, with the floor already ripped up as of Aug. 26. READ MORE

Community advisory committee formed by Riverhead school board

Effective in October, the Riverhead Central School District board of education will create its new Community Involvement and Language Access Advisory Committee to bridge gaps in communication and alert leadership of community concerns. READ MORE

Area districts lay out state-mandated cell ban plans

Gov. Hochul’s policy, which was approved as part of the 2026 fiscal year budget, prohibits unsanctioned use of smartphones and other internet-enabled personal devices on K-12 school grounds for the entire day, including classroom time, lunch and study hall periods. READ MORE

New athletic director Ferry to lead SWR wildcat pack 

Deb Ferry was appointed Shoreham-Wading River’s new director of health, physical education and athletics and plans to have a “boots on the ground approach.” She will replace former athletics director Eric Bramoff, who joined the district in July 2024. READ MORE

Wishing students, staff, teachers, administrators and parents an enriching 2025-26 year!

The post Back-to-school: Reader photos and education headlines appeared first on Riverhead News Review.

With Riverhead Central School District classes back in session on Tuesday, Sept. 2, Leah Leonard has spent the last few months scouring Amazon, Walmart and Target to get her 5-year-old son, Levi, all ready to start kindergarten at Roanoke Avenue Elementary School.

As an ENL teacher at Southold Elementary School, Ms. Leonard said her profession has given her insight into the kindergarten curriculum. She also understands what Levi needs to succeed in school.

“I probably spent around $300 in total on supplies, but I’d gladly spend double for my son and whatever his teacher needed,” Ms. Leonard said. “I personally know teachers are working so hard to make kids excited about learning, so if that means that they have one less thing to worry about — like my son showing up with pre-sharpened Ticonderoga pencils — it’s totally worth it.”

Back to school costs rise

National reports show a spike in back-to-school spending due to the potential impacts of tariffs and inflation. Back in May, the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics reported a 9.4% increase in prices for educational books and supplies. The National Retail Federation estimated that shoppers with K-12 children are budgeting nearly $144 for school supplies.

After getting the official kindergarten supply list in June, Ms. Leonard began spacing out her expenses throughout the summer months. A new backpack was one of the first items on her list, and Levi landed on a classic L.L. Bean kids’ book bag with a blue camouflage pattern — to match the Riverhead Blue Waves colors.

‘COVID babies’ entering classrooms

This incoming class of kindergarteners is also a unique one. Nationwide, these children are the over three million babies born in the U.S. during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. One of the unexpected benefits of all the family time spent home together was it allowed Ms. Leonard and her husband Mike to focus on Levi’s emotional needs.

“We’ve had the opportunity to ensure Levi knows that he is so genuinely loved, and that we are supportive of him in everything that he does,” she said. “I know my husband and I have prepared my son for whatever he needs to do.”

Prepped since Pre-K

Levi’s enrollment in universal Pre-K at St. David’s School in Riverhead was helpful in acclimating him to an educational environment. He also already formed a few friendships, so he will start kindergarten with some familiar faces.

Being in a daycare center is a good boost to the immune system for kids as well. However, in the event illness comes home with Levi, his mom has assembled her remedies and sick day needs.

Overall, Ms. Leonard said Levi is thrilled to start kindergarten and is particularly pumped to ride the school bus. Just like any new experience, school will be something to get used to. The mom and teacher said “falling asleep at dinner time” is common during the first week, after long days of learning.

But in Ms. Leonard’s heart, she believes Levi carries all the love and encouragement his parents have poured into him. And that’s what makes him “kindergarten ready.”

“I’m excited for him to be on another journey. Of course, as a mom, I’m worried. Will he make new friends? Will he feel comfortable with new teachers?” Ms. Leonard said. “I just know [Roanoke Avenue Elementary School] is going to be such a good place for him to go and learn. Their slogan is ‘The little school with a big heart,’ and that, just as a parent, makes me so excited for him to be a Riverhead Blue Wave.”

The post Back to school: Leonard family gets son kindergarten ready appeared first on Riverhead News Review.

Kids getting ready for back to school can receive school supplies as well as LIR t-shirts. The event runs from 2-6 p.m. at Unity Drive Park on Oakland Drive North, off of Doctors Path.

Free food, drinks and activities will be available as well. A DJ will fill the park with music.

Chaperones, donations and sponsors are still welcome and anyone interested in contributing can contact Mr. Harris at 631-875-9119.

The back-to-school giveaway is one of several events Mr. Harris hosts in the Riverhead area, including a Christmas toy drive, Easter Egg hunt, and Thanksgiving food drive.

Sunday’s event will be the first large in-person event for back-to-school since the pandemic. Mr. Harris took the giveaway on the road the past two years to limit gatherings during the pandemic.

The post LIR Clothing to host 10th annual back-to-school event Sunday in Riverhead appeared first on Riverhead News Review.

Though the omicron subvariant BA.5 continues to cause a wave of new infections, officials expect to open schools with fewer pandemic restrictions in place.

Most area districts will open before Labor Day on Thursday, Sept. 1, before the Labor Day weekend, while others are set to begin Tuesday, Sept. 6 due to differences in instructional calendars and teacher contracts. 

Here’s what else you should know as the new school year begins:

Riverhead

First day of school: Tuesday, Sept. 6.

What’s new: As Superintendent Augustine Tornatore begins his second full year leading the district, he’s hoping for a return to normal for students, staff and families.

“I don’t want students to have to worry about anything but their grades,” he said. 

Mr. Tornatore has also prioritized getting three schools —Roanoke, Pulaski Street and Riverhead Middle School — removed from a state’s target list for improvements this year.

Students in each building will be greeted with new “maker spaces,” where they can hone their skills and learn about coding, electricity and other STEM subjects. The district will also partner with Rocket Drones, a STEM drone racing program that will teach students about emerging career opportunities.

The middle and high schools will both move to a nine-period day, allowing for more than three dozen new elective courses, ranging from virtual enterprise to computer repair and sports marketing.

The district and PPS offices have moved to new locations on Harrison and Osborn avenues and eight new portable classrooms at the high school will be ready for the first day of school. “This will help alleviate some congestion,” Mr. Tornatore said.

A new security guard booth was installed at the rear entrance from the high school parking lot as an added security measure and a portable building that will be used for the alternative school program was refurbished. At Pulaski Street, a centralized IT suite was created and the main office is being updated.

Bathrooms were refurbished at the high school, Pulaski Street Phillips Avenue and Riley Avenue elementary schools and Aquebogue Elementary received sidewalk and landscaping improvements.

Mr. Tornatore said the district is also making improvements to cafeterias at the high school, Phillips Avenue and Riley Avenue after voters approved a proposition in May.

Who’s new: Stephen Hudson, former principal at Riverhead Middle School, will move to Phillips Avenue to replace recently retired Debra Rodgers. 

Joseph Pesqueira is the new principal at Riverhead Middle School and Colleen O’Hara (who is not related to RHS principal Sean O’Hara) is the new assistant middle school principal.

Kenneth Coard, who was hired as dean of secondary students last year, will be focused primarily at the middle school to offer additional support, Mr. Tornatore said.

Laura Arcuri, assistant principal at Roanoke Avenue Elementary School, will also be spending time as an assistant principal at Pulaski Street.

The district has a new STEM director in Jeannine Campbell. Maria Casamassa is the new humanities director.

What else to know: A federal program that made school breakfasts and lunches free to all students regardless of family income throughout the pandemic has ended, but will continue in Riverhead after the district applied for and obtained funding to continue the program.

Shoreham-Wading River

First day of school: Thursday, Sept. 1.

What’s new: A nine-period day will be implemented at the middle school this year with additional course offerings. Music ensembles including band, chorus and orchestra will now meet during a regular school-day period, rather than before school. “This is really going to ensure that all students have opportunities to explore and discover technology, art and music,” Superintendent Gerard Poole said.

Additional electives, including ceramics, digital photography and mythology, will also be introduced at the high school and a library curriculum will return to the elementary schools after the district hired a shared librarian who will work between both buildings. In addition, two more nurses have been added to enhance district health services for students and provide extended day coverage for after school programming.

Several capital projects have been underway in Shoreham-Wading River this summer, including ceiling tile replacements and bathroom renovations at Albert G. Prodell Middle School and roof repairs at the middle school, high school wrestling center and Wading River Elementary School.

The district also broke ground on outdoor learning pavilions at each of the four schools, which officials hope will be completed this fall. “One of the things we learned from the pandemic is the importance and joy that learning outdoors brings to students of all ages,” Mr. Poole said.

The district received additional grant funding to provide 75 universal pre-K seats this school year and has partnered with SCOPE Educational Services to run programming from unused classrooms at Wading River Elementary.

Mr. Poole said he plans to work this year on a long-term plan for the program.

“I’m excited about the school year. This is the first summer where all of us — parents, staff, administrators — haven’t been waiting for last-minute COVID-19 guidance and worrying about how that might impact the opening of schools,” he said. “This summer, focusing on how we normally prepare for a school year … it’s been refreshing.”

Who’s new: The district has hired a new director of facilities, Ernesto Rosini, after former director Angelo Andreotti retired earlier this year.

Other things to know: The middle school day will be extended to accommodate the ninth period, with school commencing at 8:02 a.m. and concluding at 2:30 p.m. This will also impact elementary school students due to the busing schedule, and their new school day will run from 9:15 a.m. to 3:15 p.m., changed from 8:55 a.m. to 2:55 p.m. last year. The high school schedule remains unchanged.

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