Excitement was just beneath the calm and collective surface of the Eighth graders who were dressed up for the June 24^th afternoon Middle School Moving-Up program and Eighth-Grade Dance that would immediately follow.

While the auditorium filled with family and guests, the Middle School orchestra struck up the processional march and the Moving-Up Class of 2019 filed in from the side doors to their seats. When the two-hundred and forty-one students had assembled, they rose for the Pledge of Allegiance led by Sara Jaklitsch and the National Anthem marvelously sung a capella by Dominic Lewis.

Principal Thomas Murray opened the Middle School program with a welcome, citing key individuals from the Sayville Administration and Board of Education (including members of the NYC Police Department to honor the memory of one student's father who succumbed to 9-11 related illness) before beginning his address.

“My name is Mr. Murray, and I have the honor of being your child’s principal. It is a great privilege to be here today to celebrate the accomplishments of your children, the future graduating class of 2023. They have exhibited outstanding academic discipline and personal integrity.”

Comparing the Middle School years to a journey, Mr. Murray acknowledged that the students had arrived as uncertain children in Sixth-grade but were leaving as confident young men and women in Eighth-grade. As he does every year, Mr. Murray compiled statistics about the class to share with the assembly (see insert in right column).

“You have an impressive resume of accomplishments,” Mr. Murray continued. “Wherever you have traveled as a class, you have always have made people feel welcomed and loved.  You have shown compassion, courage, shared your joy, and have exhibited integrity.”

Reminding the students how rapidly things have changed not just within the last century, but how technology has accelerated in the last few decades, Mr. Murray said, “As Eighth-graders you have more opportunities at your fingertips then I could ever dream of. With great opportunities come great responsibilities…. I have the utmost confidence based on what I have seen and heard over the last three years, you will choose to raise people up.  You will choose to make people's lives brighter.”

His remarks were followed by the presentation of certificates to the students who were each called one-by-one to the stage.

“Your actions have and will continue to inspire others to dream more, learn more, and become more,” Mr. Murray said in his closing statements. “The staff at Sayville Middle School has been so proud and humbled to have had the opportunity to be your teachers. Thank you for three wonderful years.” Mr. Murray called seventeen select students to the stage to pick up placards and asked the remaining students in the auditorium to turn and face their parents. On cue, as he asked the Moving-Up Class of 2019 to thank their parents, the students held up the seventeen placards, which spelled out:  Thank You. We Love you!

 Amid cheers, applause, and laughter, the Moving-Up class of 2019 and the future graduating class of 2023 marched out of the auditorium.

To see all the photos from the Moving Up, click on the Photo Album link

CLASS OF 2023 8^TH GRADE MOVING UP CEREMONY

4:30 p.m. - Graduate Procession and Musical Performance

5:00 p.m. - Mr. Murray’s Address to the Class of 2023

5:15-6:00 p.m. - Announcement of Graduates

6:00-8:30 p.m. - 8^th Grade Dinner/Dance

• Academically
  • 99 students have taken the Algebra Regents and passed and 95 students have taken the Living Environment Regents and passed. Of those who took both regents’ exams, there was a 100% pass rate.
  • 100 students have taken and passed the High School Studio and Art Class.
  • 98 % of the class is leaving with one high school credit
  • 48 % of the class is leaving with two high school credits
  • 43 % of the class is leaving with 3 high school credits
• Athletic teams have competed hard and have enjoyed success. There have been many undefeated seasons as well as Section XI Sportsmanship Award winners.  You learned what it means to work together for the good of a common goal!
• Our Music Program has competed around the country.  NYSSMA students performed solos receiving top honors . Four students were selected to be part of the SCMEA  All-County band/chorus/orchestra groups.  Five students achieved the highest rating, for their NYSSMA solo. Three musicians received SMBA grants. The music department participated in a Practice-A-Thon raising a little over $1000.00 for the Harry Chapin Food Bank.
• Service to the community in the Past Three Years: We have had over 200 community service winners – serving over 8,000 hours of community service. You came together to help raise money to beat cancer, to feed and clothe the needy, to fight ALS. Many of you have sought out opportunities on your own and quietly went about making the world a better place.

• English - Emily Langhan                                                  
• Social Studies - Samantha Hmelovsky
• Mathematics - Erin Reilly            
• Regents Algebra I - Gavin Noone                                                    
• Science - Abigail Noack                                                    
• Regents Biology - Jordan Carpentieri
• Regents Spanish I - Michael Pitre                    
• Regents French I - Emma Haas                                        
• Band - Michael Pitre                                                                    
• Orchestra - Asher DeVerna                                                                
• Chorus - Grace McCavanagh                                                        
• Studio in Art - Ava Gustafson                                                 
• Art 8 - Alexandra Gagnon                                                         
• Technology - Taylor Totevski                                                 
• Family & Consumer Science - April Gidden                                      
• Physical Education - Natalie Jones, Michael Milo

 LOCAL & STATE AWARDS

• PTA Scholarship Awards - Brianna Adams, Emily Andersen, Samantha Hmelovsky, Abigail Noack, Michael Pitre
• Bright Futures Scholarship Awards - Giulietta Imperato, Luca Maron, Shane Sukow                  
• Cameron Riccomini Scholarship - Gavin Noone
• David A. Roben Scholarship - Sarah Blaskiewicz                            
• Suffolk County Executive’s Service Award - Adam Burgardt
• NYS Comptroller’s Achievement Award - Riley Lapine
• NYS Attorney General’s Triple-C Award - Emma Haas, Robert Zane