Gribbin School had its annual field day celebration on June 7. It was a beautiful day and everyone had fun. Physical education teacher Mr. Checola emphasizes good sportsmanship, cooperation and community among the students, and it was evident throughout the day. Volunteers from the Long Island Rough Rider’s soccer organization as well as Gribbin parents helped facilitate the day’s events. To end the funfilled morning of activity, all were treated to pizza by Vito’s Pizzeria after the school won the Truckload of Pizza contest.

Students at Gribbin School participated in the school’s annual Flag Day celebration on June 14. The entire school community gathered around the flag pole in silence while Cub Scout Pack 72 raised the flag. The group saluted the flag together, listened to a patriotic poetry reading and sang a patriotic song together.

First graders at Gribbin School showed off their musical talents and knowledge of the solar system during their production of “Vacation on Mars” on June 6.

Dressed in colorful outfits adorned with their very own artwork, students danced and sang solar system-related music, including “Mars, Mars,” the “Moon Song” and “The Earth Song” as a family sets out on a journey to Mars. Through a variety of “teleporter” mishaps, the family never makes it to Mars, but they do see the moon and sun, Jupiter, Pluto, Saturn and Venus, among other planets, before returning to Earth.   

The youngsters were joyful as they performed a flawless production, with help from their teachers. Principal Francine Santoro, Superintendent of Schools Dr. Maria Rianna and Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum, Instruction and Technology Dr. Michael Israel joined students and parents for their performance. Santoro congratulated the students on a “super fantastic” play that taught everyone in attendance a lot about the solar system.

Gribbin School first grade teacher Maria Antoinette Hatzopoulos received the 2018–2019 Margaret Simon Award for Excellence in Elementary Social Studies given by the Long Island Council for the Social Studies.

Ms. Hatzopoulos is an educationally sound teacher who has been teaching first grade at Gribbin since 1993. She has established herself as a well-versed elementary teacher in the district and is an educator that brings social studies to life. Ms. Hatzopoulos demonstrates how important and vital social studies is at the elementary level. She continues to be a vital asset in promoting Glen Cove schools and empowers the Glen Cove community and its district’s youth to excel. 

On behalf of the Glen Cove City School District, congratulations! We are so proud and honored to have you as part of our school district and community.

The second grade students in Gribbin School recently organized an animal museum. Displayed in the exhibit were dioramas, murals and nonfiction books students wrote on specific animals from habitats they researched in class.

Each class studied a different habitat. Students then researched an animal from that specific habitat and wrote a book based on their research findings. Each class rotated to a different teacher over five days to learn about all of the different habitats, including the ocean, rainforest, savannah, arctic, desert and woodland forests. Students researched their animal’s classification, appearance, diet, habitat, movement, sounds and babies. Along the way, they also found fun facts about their animals. On the day of the museum the students came in wearing clothing related to the habitat studied in their classroom. Parents as well as the Gribbin student body as a whole were invited to attend the museum.