Returning Sayville Public Schools staff were treated to a memorable keynote address during Superintendent’s Conference Day on Tuesday, September 5.  

Sayville Schools Superintendent Marc Ferris ended his keynote address with a bang, surprising the staff with an exciting musical number set to Queen’s “Don’t Stop Me Now,” retitled, “Don’t Stop Us Now.”   

After finishing up his speech about the district’s five-year strategic plan, Dr. Ferris was “interrupted” on stage by music teacher, Mr. Fred Diekmann who asked how much longer the speech was going to go on for.  As the audience laughed, Dr. Ferris responded, “Well, I’m trying to wrap it up but I want to end it with an inspirational send-off."

Mr. Diekmann suggested that music can be very inspirational before walking to sit at a piano in the corner of the stage. After a fun back and forth, Dr. Ferris began to sing the opening lines of “Don’t Stop Us Now.” 

As he continued, the curtain on the stage was pulled to reveal a band of teachers behind Mr. Diekmann. The band consisted of High School Math Teacher Mr. Christopher Surrusco on drums, High School Art Teacher Mr. Evan Hammer on bass guitar and High School Music Teacher Mr. Brenden Caroppoli on electric guitar.     

As the audience cheered, another surprise came from within the crowd.

Lincoln Avenue Music Teacher Ms. Christine Cirillo got out of her seat and joined Dr. Ferris onstage to continue the song. 

From there, the surprises kept coming.  

Music teachers Ms. Amy Baron, Ms. Karen DiMartino, and Ms. Kristi Woerner joined Ms. Cirillo onstage to perform backup. Next, students of all grade levels joined the teachers onstage to add to the chorus of the song. Behind Ms. Cirillo, members of the dance team came center stage to add their dance moves to the song.  

During the iconic “I’m a rocket ship on my way to Mars,” lyric, Lincoln Avenue Principal Mr. Dominic Armano and Elementary Administrator Mr. Scott Bullis pushed an actual "rocket ship" carrying all three elementary mascots across the stage.

Finally, members of the high school band, led by Mrs. Kerri VanBoxel, joined everyone onstage for a festive finale which led to a rousing applause and standing ovation from the audience. 

20 Years: 

Jeanette Ainslie, Sunrise Drive 

Keri Athan, Sunrise Drive 

Kenneth Aurelio, IMC 

Lynn Brock, Middle School 

Suzanne Cannini, High School 

Charles Cummings, Buildings & Grounds 

Amy Chiamowitz, Sunrise Drive 

Wendy Faulkner, Cherry Avenue 

Doreen Fiore, Cherry Avenue 

Eric Frank, Sunrise Drive 

Michelle Kearney, Sunrise Drive 

Kortney Knatz, Lincoln Avenue  

Gina LoCurto, Lincoln Avenue 

Garrett Lynch, High School 

Kathleen Maggio-Straub, Cherry Avenue 

Alexis Marran, Middle School 

Brooke Mattimore, High School 

Carmella Micelli, Buildings & Grounds 

Donna Morisie, Sunrise Drive 

Fortunata O’Shaughnessy, Sunrise Drive 

Nicole Robbins, Lincoln Avenue 

Pamela Rooney, Middle School 

Amy Thomas, High School 

Debra Urso, High School 

Jennifer Williams, Lincoln Avenue 

Board of Education President Thomas Cooley welcomed the staff back for the new year and reminded the audience that Sayville is a special place to work because of their hard work.  

STA President Anthony Papalia told the audience how important they are in the lives of the students they work with.  

“By the time students leave here, they will have spent three quarters of their lives in the school system,” Papalia said of students. 

He recalled that when the first group of students he taught graduated, he received an email from two of them. Despite having very different career objectives, the two students were impacted by his teaching and the difference he made in their lives.