COMMACK SCHOOLS

Commack High School’s new Schools of Study initiative is off and running.

Tenth graders in each of the eight newly launched Schools of Study met as a group with the advisor for that discipline during the final period of the school day on Friday.

The groups got off to a quick start.

For instance, inside the CHS cafeteria, where the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences students were meeting, advisor Leslie Kaplan had the school’s 10th graders using only copy paper and tape to build structures to support the weight of a DVD drive.

Holly Bellisari’s School of Education students were learning the importance of traversing the room while speaking to a class and also shared their interests in teaching not just domestically, but also abroad.

And School of Fine Arts advisor Catherine Neville was already discussing potential field trips with her school’s students, floating ideas such as the Metropolitan Opera, New York Philharmonic and Metropolitan Museum of Art.

In all, Commack High School now has eight schools of study.

The others, with their advisors:

Business: Erin Mascaro

Law: Sandy Braun

Liberal Studies: Gabrielle Moore and Jillian Golubow

Medicine: Lynn McConnell

Vocational and Technical Studies: Chris Denton

The schools-of-study initiative is designed to help students explore potential college and career interests. These programs provide enrichment opportunities for juniors and seniors, giving them real-world exposure to different fields.

Students may participate in activities such as panel discussions with college admissions representatives, hands-on experiences with professionals, including alumni guest speakers, field trips, job shadowing and more.

The schools-of-study initiative is part of a larger theme in Commack Schools to provide students with authentic learning experiences that allow them to test drive potential careers before graduating high school.

In the spring of students’ sophomore years, students select a school of study that interests them. The choice does not limit or require specific coursework. Instead, it complements classroom learning by providing enrichment beyond the standard curriculum.

CHS administrators as well as superintendent Dr. Jordan Cox roamed the school visiting the assorted schools’ initial meetings. Dr. Cox also did an interview with the student-written Courant explaining the initiative.