Dear IMS Families,

As we head into March, I am continually inspired by the energy, spirit, and kindness our students bring to school each day. Even with the snow and colder weather keeping us indoors, our Buccaneers continue to make the most of every opportunity to connect, learn, and grow together.

Advisory continues to be a meaningful part of our students’ day, and this month is filled with engaging activities! Ms. Comiskey and Ms. Noone are hosting the 6th Grade CupOlympics, which involves a series of fun, fast-paced games and adds a little friendly competition to the week. It’s a wonderful opportunity for students to build teamwork, strengthen communication skills, and simply have fun together. Our highly anticipated annual chess tournament, organized by Ms. Kaywood and Ms. Ryder, is underway on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays during Advisory. The competition has been spirited and impressive to watch; best of luck to all of our competitors.

Our March Advisory theme is College and Career, and we are focusing on Habit 3: Begin with the End in Mind. Students will participate in activities exploring college and career pathways, “career myth busters,” and a fun interactive game featuring staff members and their own college and career journeys. These experiences encourage students to think about future possibilities while understanding that their goals can evolve over time.

While winter weather has kept us indoors for recess, our students still have plenty of enjoyable options. From board games and Nintendo Switch time to heading to “the movies” in our auditorium, there’s something for everyone. Be on the lookout for the return of our famous karaoke experience, which is always a student and staff favorite!

A special thank you to IAMP, the Fine and Performing Arts Department, National Junior Honor Society, and especially our exceptionally talented students who participated in the IMS Talent Takeover. The creativity and courage on display made us incredibly proud.

Speaking of talent, we extend our very best wishes to all of our musicians participating in SCMEA. We know you will represent our school beautifully!

We have several events coming up in the month of March. Our Student Government students will be visiting Wing Elementary school to connect with our future Buccaneers. We look forward to welcoming Islip High School’s World Language Honor Society students for games, activities, and language enrichment during Immersion Day on March 13th. Multicultural Night will take place on March 25th. We will be participating in a district-wide spirit week for the event (more specific information will follow). Please join us for our next PTA meeting on Tuesday, March 24th at 7:00PM in the library.

Thank you, for your partnership and support. Together, we continue building a school community where students feel welcomed, connected, and inspired to learn each day. Please reach out to me with any questions or concerns. Wishing you a wonderful month ahead.

Sincerely,

Meghan Stern

Principal

Islip Middle School

631-650-8505

Welcome Team IMS,

 

As we enter March 2026, we take sight of the back stretch and move to June. With that being shared and with four months left of school, we would like to share with you the New York State testing for our middle schoolers.

Math: Grades 6 & 7: NYS Math Assessment, April 28th & April 29th

ELA: Grade 6, 7, & 8: NYS ELA Exam, April 21st & 22nd

Science: Grades 8: NYS Science Exam, May 5th

Algebra I Regents: June 18th            

Geometry Regents: June 24th

Earth Science Regents: June 17th

World Language Checkpoint A Exam: June 22nd

 

Please look at Facebook & Instagram to view photos, videos, and news about our amazing students, staff, and school community @ IMS. If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact me at cjuengerkes@islipufsd.org or (631) 650-8515.

As always, enjoy and thank you for making Islip Middle School a great place to grow up.

Be well,

Curt Juengerkes

Islip Middle School

Assistant Principal

Dear IMS Community:

February was a meaningful and memorable month at Islip Middle School. We were proud to participate in PS I Love You Day, as our students and staff came together to promote kindness, mental health awareness, and support for one another. Throughout the month, our advisory classes engaged in thoughtful activities centered on compassion, being a light in someone’s darkness, and recognizing the importance of building a supportive and inclusive school community. It was truly inspiring to see our students demonstrate empathy, leadership, and care in so many ways.

We would also like to congratulate all of our talented students who participated in the IMS Talent Takeover Show. What an incredible evening! Each performance reflected courage, creativity, preparation, and dedication. Thank you to our student performers, staff organizers, and families who supported this wonderful celebration of the arts and student voice.

As we look ahead to March, we are excited about several upcoming events and opportunities for connection. Students can look forward to engaging and educational field trips, along with our much-anticipated Spring Fling Dance. March 2 also marks the beginning of the much-anticipated Chess Madness tournament. Good luck to all participants!

March Advisory lessons will emphasize college and career readiness, encouraging students to begin with the end in mind. Through goal-setting activities, career exploration discussions, and reflection on personal strengths and interests, students will start thinking about their future pathways and the steps they can take now to prepare for success in high school and beyond. These conversations are designed to help students connect their daily effort and academic habits to their long-term aspirations.

Our girls’ basketball and wrestling teams continue to compete in their Winter 2 seasons. We are proud of their perseverance, teamwork, and school spirit. Best of luck as your seasons continue—we are cheering you on!

We also continue to expand our MOOV attendance system to ensure a safe, secure, and efficient entry process each day. Please remember that students must bring their school ID daily.

As we move closer to spring, we look forward to warmer days, continued academic growth, and many more opportunities to celebrate the achievements of our students. Thank you for your ongoing partnership and support of the IMS community.

Wishing everyone a wonderful month ahead!

David Bodner

Dean of Students

Islip Middle School

          Our 6th graders have been turning up the fun in advisory—winter style! The Cup Olympics is an exciting event that has brought our students together through teamwork, school spirit, and friendly competition. Designed as a unique way to recognize and celebrate the spirit of the Olympics, this tournament encourages advisory classes to collaborate, strategize, and support one another through new cup challenges each week. Throughout the event, students learn to build stronger relationships, practice teamwork, and demonstrate sportsmanship—all while enjoying a little healthy competition. It’s a fun and meaningful way to strengthen our 6th grade community!

           The scheduling process is currently underway. Sixth-grade students have submitted their language preferences and have been placed in either Spanish or Italian. Eigh.th-grade students have also turned in their course selection forms, indicating the classes they plan to take as they transition to high school. The deadline to submit these forms has passed. If you have not yet reviewed your child’s course selections, we encourage you to take a moment to do so. These courses are thoughtfully chosen to align with each student’s strengths, interests, and academic goals. Family involvement is especially important during this time, as these decisions mark the beginning of your child’s pathway toward high school graduation and future success.

March is filled with engaging and educational college and career activities designed to broaden our students’ horizons and expose them to a wide range of future opportunities. Don’t forget to sport your college gear to school on Tuesday, March 31st.  

Islip Middle School Functional Academics students are building important life skills by ordering, organizing, and stocking beverages in the school vending machine. Students conducted a survey to determine the preference choices. Through this hands-on experience, students practice budgeting, inventory, teamwork, communication, and problem-solving while reinforcing math and reading skills. The project promotes independence and confidence as students apply classroom learning in a meaningful way and proudly contribute to their school community.

Mrs Sauer, Mrs. DeSena, and Mrs Mills continue to create engaging and meaningful learning experiences for our Family and Consumer Science ( FACS) students. In FACS, students learn far more than cooking and sewing - they develop valuable life skills they will carry with them for years to come. We recently wrapped up the fall semester by celebrating our Golden Spoon and Pillow Project Winners. The Golden Spoon award is a special recognition given during the food lab unit student groups work toward excellence and cooperation teamwork time management following directions and cleaning up. This well-known challenge has become a source of pride throughout the school as groups collaborate and strive to earn this honor. The 7th grade pillow contest was also a tremendous success. Students design their own pillows, carefully cut their patterns from felt, and apply the hand sewing stitches they learned in class to complete their projects. Their creativity and effort truly exceeded our expectations and we are incredibly proud of their hard work and dedication. Congratulations to all of our students for giving 100% effort! 

We have also welcomed our spring semester students, who are already hard at work learning foundational sewing skills, including hand stitches and sewing on a button. Their enthusiasm for learning is inspiring, and we continue to encourage them to apply these important life skills beyond the classroom and into real world situations. Whether our students are cooking a meal, managing their time effectively, repairing clothing, budgeting or working collaboratively with others , the skills learned in FACS build confidence, independence and responsibility. These practical abilities not only support students at home but also lay a foundation for future careers and lifelong success.

With the start of the third quarter, Mrs. Ryder and her Library Research students can expect to explore a wide range of concepts designed to support their growth as informed and responsible digital citizens. To do this, students will determine what safe, responsible, and respectful behavior looks like—both offline and online-and discover how these values support sound decision-making today and in their futures.

Students are presently reading articles on the long-term negative effects of bullying. They will apply media and information literacy skills when they investigate the article sources for credibility. They will investigate authors for their education and experience and publishers for their experience. Students are also learning how to conduct web searches efficiently, using relevant keywords. Skills that will benefit them well into their academic futures.

Students will also examine the impact of social media and the importance of privacy in a culture of oversharing. They will learn to identify what personally identifiable information (PII) is, and learn what is appropriate to share, and manage their digital footprints. Students will learn that apps may appear free, they require users to surrender personal data. Students will also consider the effects of social media on sleep. Research shows that 60% of adolescents use their phones during the hour before bedtime, resulting in an average of one hour less sleep each night. Moving forward, students will continue to develop a deeper understanding of privacy rights (KOSA/COPPA) and how thoughtful password practices protect them from scammers and cybercriminals.

Students will also explore the basics of their school email accounts. Students are always surprised to discover hundreds of unread messages in their inboxes. Students will take charge of their accounts by using global delete tools to effectively manage their trash folders. They will also compose and send friendly emails to teachers, to experience how email functions as a valuable tool for 21st-century communication.

As members of the Islip District’s KID OYO middle school community, students will also strengthen their coding abilities. They will begin with sprite Editor app, to hone their digital drawing skills, which will culminate in their producing self-portraits. Students will advance to the Hatch coding application, where they will combine coding with animation to create their own Pong-style games.

If you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to contact us. You can reach out via the following: