Fifth and sixth grade students made waves as they joined the Bay Shore group to make remotely operated vehicles. They put their engineering and budgeting skills to the test to ensure that their designs stayed within cost and still met the needs of an effective underwater vehicle. But building wasn’t the only challenge. The students had to step into the world of marketing, crafting persuasive ads to convince our environmental educator that their ROV was the best investment.

With creativity, problem-solving and teamwork driving their progress, the ROVs are taking shape and getting closer to a launch in Long Island’s waters.

Click here to view the ROVs in the Making slideshow.

Date Added: 3/27/2025

With the first day of spring and the district’s PARP theme, “Reading Plants the Seeds of Knowledge,” it was the perfect time for students to kickoff preparations for the school garden.

Mrs. Donovan’s students planted seeds that will soon sprout into beans, radishes, onions, oregano and Swiss chard. With careful watering and plenty of patience, the tiny seedlings will grow strong indoors until they’re ready to be transplanted outside after the last frost. Once in the garden, the sun’s warmth and TLC from students will help them flourish.

Second graders are also learning to garden without soil. Under the direction of Ms. Donovan, second graders have prepared this year’s aeroponic crops in a Tower Garden, which is an innovative gardening system that allows plants to grow upward using only water, air and essential nutrients. This method saves space and conserves water, making it an eco-friendly way to grow fresh produce right inside the school.

The young scientists and gardeners measured and mixed two types of mineral blends to circulate through the system. With the right balance of light, climate control and nutrients, the students are eagerly watching for the first signs of sprouting. Soon enough, these veggies will be ready to share with the entire school.

Before we know it, the young gardeners will be harvesting fresh vegetables and herbs – a true testament to the magic of both reading and planting the seeds of knowledge.

Click here to view the Planting the Seeds of Learning 2024-2025 slideshow.

Date Added: 3/24/2025

The Pick a Reading Partner Program brought many special guests into Woodhull School’s classrooms, who shared their favorite books with eager listeners. Mystery Readers included parents, a student’s PeePaw, a summer tourist and even a T-Rex! This was a fun and memorable way to inspire the district’s young readers and to nurture a lifelong love of books.

The district would like to thank all of the Mystery Readers who volunteered their time to make PARP special for students.

Click here to view the Mystery Writers Bring Stories to Life slideshow.

Date Added: 3/18/2025

Woodhull students had a sweet surprise during Mrs. Stertz’s Baking Club today — a special guest with a familiar face. Ocean Beach Police and Fire Chief George Hesse traded in his uniform for an apron, bringing his kitchen skills to the classroom. With plenty of laughter and creativity, he showed our young bakers how to turn simple cupcakes into edible works of art. Thank you, Chief Hesse, for sharing your time, talents, and love of baking with us! 

Click here to view the Baking Club Gets a Surprise Guest slideshow.

Date Added: 3/13/2025

Last Week, Woodhull School blossomed into a Magic Garden with the launch of the school’s annual Pick a Reading Partner program. Hosted by the Fire Island PTA, the program will run from March 3 - March 28 with a goal of the school community logging 14,000 minutes of reading time. 

The week commenced with a bagel breakfast and pajamas kickoff assembly where students learned about the reading goals, exciting activities and special events designed to help make the students’ love of books grow. By Tuesday, reading minutes were already climbing as everyone wore buttons with phrases like “I Love Reading” and “Together We Succeed.” With each step, readers discovered new worlds and ideas one button at a time. On Wednesday, students enjoyed a special PARPcorn treat at snack time. On Thursday, students grabbed their flashlights and transformed their home spaces into cozy reading hideaways, making each page feel like a secret adventure. To round off the week, students and staff wore their Woodhull swag, showing off school spirit. As the week unfolded, special guests, known as mystery readers, also visited classrooms, keeping students on the edge of their seats with tantalizing stories. 

PARP is a national program which encourages parents or a partner to read with  children for at least 15 minutes daily to strengthen reading and communication skills and to build a reading partnership between home and school, thus building literacy skills for a lifetime.   

Click here to view the Reading Plants the Seeds of Knowledge slideshow.

Date Added: 3/13/2025