Schools
Sixth Graders Say Goodbye to Old Mill Road School
School holds its moving up day ceremony Thursday morning.
A line of more than 100 people snaked around the playground at Old Mill Road School Thursday morning awaiting entrance into the school.
They all came for one reason: to watch with pride as nearly 70 sixth grade students said goodbye to elementary school.
North Merrick School Board President John Rossi spoke to the students and crowd at the moving up day ceremony about what he believed the job of the school board was.
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"Certainly our job is to make this moment happen for every child that enters any of our three schools," said Rossi, who noted that neither he nor the other board trustees get paid for their work, "but I would say the job of the board is even bigger...the job of the board is the future."
Rossi, who did not run for re-election and will soon end his six-year tenure on the board, also spoke about the current challenges facing our nation – two wars, a massive oil spill in the Gulf and a lingering economic crisis.
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The country also suffers from political leaders who lack morals and ethics, Rossi said, who added that besides needing to be "really well-educated," the sixth grade graduates will need to develop a strong sense of morals.
"Fair play does matter and it is important to be ethical," Rossi said. "Character matters and I'm very pleased to report to the moms and dads here that takes places everyday in North Merrick."
In his address, Superintendent David Feller said moving up from elementary school was unique in that "it seems to symbolize the end of an era."
"For many of your parents, they are almost mourning the fact that you are leaving childhood and moving into something else – adolescence or some other area that they are a little worried about," Feller told the graduates. "You are going to have more choices and perhaps have to make more decisions that are a little more complicated than you had to make here at this very nurturing world called the Old Mill Road School.
"But as you move forward, what I think you need to remember are those wonderful role models that you are leaving behind here at this school and also the role models that you live with everyday and they will be your compass and guide as you move forward in the future."
The Old Mill Road Class of 2010:
- Matteo Acuna
- Anthony Ameruoso
- Fabian Acevedo
- Armando Bagnasco
- Andrew Bakke
- Brianna Belajonas
- Michael Benn
- Kristen Berkey
- Stephanie Brower
- Brandon Byrns
- Christina Casaccio
- Marianne Cassisi
- Kristi Chan
- Sanjida Chowdhury
- Meghan Corona
- Michelle Costa
- Ryan Curran
- Tyler D'Alesio
- Brittany Darnaud
- Michael DeGiorgio
- Zachary Dellova
- Michael Dobkowski
- Koner Drexler
- Logan Fallick
- Shane DiGeronimo
- Caroline Galindo
- Rebecca Goldstein
- Gregory Grippa
- Connor Hannon
- Jenna Hickey
- Daniel Hunt
- Emma Joseph
- Sean Joyce
- Justin Katz
- Daniel Krzeminski
- Edward Krzeminski
- Samantha Laform
- Rebecca Lavelli
- Amanda Lucido
- Lauren Mamay
- Christian Martinelli
- Mark McDowell
- Bailey McLoughlin
- Austin McLoughlin
- Erin Metzger
- Steven Molinaro
- Paul Mormoris
- Camila Munoz
- Sean Nash
- Sophia Navas
- Logan Neary
- Endrit Nezaj
- Luke O'Sullivan
- Caitlin Ouellette
- Philip Perazzo
- Alec Perez
- Dana Piccirillo
- Katherine Ratner
- Donovan Reed
- Jacqueline Shand
- Carter Simonson
- John Speciale
- Kristen Sprague
- Danielle Stein
- Alexandra Tzanetos
- James Uher
- Kayla Vignola
- Juliann Vizoso
- Amanda Welk
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