Deer Park Elementary Students Celebrate Moving Up

Information provided by Syntax.

Two groups of Deer Park second-grade students at May Moore and John Quincy Adams elementary schools celebrated their moving-up ceremonies surrounded by the educational community.

At May Moore, Principal Alicia Konecny introduced the class and described the group as exceptional students. Second-grade students reminisced through an “A-Z of memories,” pumped their fists to “Education Rocks!” and waved American flags during the song  “Wavin’ Flag.” At the ceremony’s conclusion, the administrators offered a “flashforward” by dismissing the Deer Park High School Class of 2023, and students danced to “Gangnam Style” as they filed out.

JQA Elementary, “Where Falcons Learn to Fly,” had a balloon-themed ceremony that played off the whimsical journey of these festive favors. During their “Up, Up and Away to JFK” moving-up, students performed “Well, It’s Been Fun” and “Ready to Go!”

To conclude the school year, JQA’s second-grade class gave back to the district and environment by planting a Japanese lilac tree. The tree, which was donated by the district’s buildings and grounds crew, was presented by Principal Jennifer Rodriguez, who read facts about it and explained that it represents the second-graders as a class and symbolizes their time spent at JQA. Students from each class had a hand in the planting by shoveling dirt into the hole. Once planted, each student touched the tree for good luck as they move up to John F. Kennedy Intermediate School.

Selected students at both schools were presented with the New York State Comptroller’s Achievement Award as well as awards for perfect attendance. JFK Associate Principal Shaun McLeod spoke to the classes and thanked the teachers and parents for preparing the children for their promotion to JFK. Mr. McLeod described how impressed he was by the students’ maturity, intelligence and good behavior, and instructed them to reach high and dream big as the future of the world.