Boxes and boxes of school supplies were delivered to Edmund W. Miles Middle School on Sept. 11 thanks to the United Way’s Stuff-A-Bus program. United Way chose the date to coincide with the National Day of Service.

Shortly after 10:30 a.m., a big yellow school bus pulled up, provided by Educational Bus Transportation, one of the district’s transportation providers. United Way volunteers emerged and unloaded dozens of boxes. Members of the middle school’s Students Against Destructive Decisions club also helped out.

Jeannine Darcy, a member of United Way’s Resource Development Department, said the Stuff-A-Bus program is in its 11th year and has helped thousands of children at multiple Long Island school districts. She said this year United Way collected and distributed approximately 185,000 school supplies including backpacks, notebooks, binders, rulers, pens, pencils and more. 

“We want children to have the best start to the school year so they can be successful,” she said.

Middle school social worker Beatriz Offitto said that this year was the first time Amityville participated in Stuff-A-Bus. She said that the donations will be provided to any child in need of supplies, and also will be given out to new students enrolling at the school. After the items were sorted by students from the SADD club, supplies more appropriate for younger students were delivered to Park Avenue Memorial Elementary School.

“I’m excited that we are able to help students by giving them supplies, to make their learning easier,” Ms. Offitto said. “Having good school supplies makes their educational experiences better.”

Two veteran administrators in the district have moved into new roles. Edward Plaia has been named the principal of Amityville Memorial High School and Earl Mitchell has assumed the role of principal at Edmund W. Miles Middle School.

Mr. Plaia taught social studies at Amityville Memorial High School from 2000 to 2007. After a stint as an assistant principal and principal in the William Floyd School District, he rejoined Amityville as middle school principal in 2014, serving in that role for five years. 

“The high school is where I spent half my career teaching, before going into the leadership ranks,” Mr. Plaia said. “It's where I learned about kids, community, teaching and learning. The high school shaped me as an educator, as a leader, as a human being. Aside from my family, I am who I am because of Amityville Memorial High School.”

Mr. Mitchell, an educator for 20 years, came to the district in 2015 after working as a social studies teacher and department chairman at Baldwin Middle School. He was the dean of students at Edmund W. Miles Middle School for three years and last year served as assistant principal.

“I am honored to have the opportunity to serve the Edmund W. Miles Middle School and Amityville community,” Mr. Mitchell said. “To serve and to teach are gifts, and my challenge is to both with excellence and consistency every day.”

The local, national and global impacts of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks were the focal points of discussions in social studies classes at Edmund W. Miles Middle School as people across the nation marked the 18th anniversary.

Ninth grade social studies teacher Jack Zider recalled how the attacks occurred during his first week as a freshman in high school. Now, he teaches September 11 as a historical event to students who were born several years after the attacks. He showed students video clips from the day and asked them to discuss their reactions with each other. Additionally, because of Amityville’s proximity to New York City, he talked to students about the impact it had on people in the community. 

In 2001, Frank O’Brien worked for the MTA and was just a half-mile away from the World Trade Center. Now a social studies teacher at the middle school, he shared his personal experiences from the day. 

Mr. O’Brien emphasized the importance of being thankful to and showing respect for the people who fight to preserve freedom. He works with an organization, Operation Gratitude, which sends care packages to members of the armed forces overseas. His students wrote thank-you letters to be including in those packages. 

Since the attacks, Sept. 11 has become known as Patriot Day, and students and staff at the middle school were encouraged to wear red, white and blue.

“Exceeding expectations” is the mission for the 2019-20 school year at Edmund W. Miles Middle School, Acting Principal Earl Mitchell announced at orientation on Aug. 22. He outlined his vision for success for every student in speaking to the incoming seventh graders and their parents.

Mr. Mitchell was joined by Assistant Principal Paul Duguay as well as teachers and guidance counselors in welcoming the students who just two months ago completed elementary school. With ninth grade slated to move to the high school in 2020, they will have short two-year stay at the middle school, but staff members want them to make the most out of that time. Students learned about the wealth of academic offerings, athletic programs and extracurricular opportunities. 

A goal at the middle school is to create interested and engaged learners, and Mr. Mitchell explained that even the most challenging courses are infused with fun lessons and activities. Orientation was held in the cafeteria, dubbed College Café, because it is filled with pennants from colleges all over the state and country to inspire students to reach their full potential.

Following discussions on the bell schedule, Chromebooks and character-building programs, seventh graders went on tours of the building, led by students from the National Junior Honor Society. They also were able to take home free school supplies including binders, notebooks, pens and pencils.