Forest LakeElementary School

If you’ve ever had the chance to stop by the STEAM room at Mandalay or Forest Lake, you will see that there’s always something fun going on. During the month of October, fourth grade students in Ms. DelPiano’s STEAM class spent four weeks partnering with one another as they designed and built simple machines.

With Thanksgiving on the horizon, gratitude was the theme for the month at Forest Lake Elementary School. At the monthly morning program on Nov. 17, the entire school gathered for a celebration of gratitude.

Ms. Defonzo’s 5th grade class enjoyed a Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade virtual field trip down 34th Avenue in New York City where they watched curbside from the comfort of their classroom. They enjoyed watching a few vintage balloons from the parade’s past and were excited to see modern day balloon favorites Hello Kitty, Goku, soccer players, and of course Santa Clause.

Reading and acting go hand-in-hand for second graders at Forest Lake Elementary School. Performance is a key component in helping youngsters develop their literacy skills.

The Kindergartners debuted their musical talents during the October Morning Program at Forest Lake Elementary School in front of family and friends. One by one, students dressed in various, orange-colored outfits walked into the gym single file gradually stepping into their place on the risers perfectly rehearsed during music class. Waving to their loved ones with smiles on their faces, the excitement could be seen on each face as the teachers held up the “ready” signal.

The smell of fresh pumpkin filled the air entering after Ms Shiavetta’s Kindergarten/1st grade class at Forest Lake this week. Students were gathered around the table watching with wide eyes focussed on the day’s lesson. Pumpkins!

Students in grades 3-5 at Forest Lake were asked to start sleeping with their bedroom door closed as a safety tip during the Wantagh Fire Department Fire Prevention Assembly as they were given many helpful tips and tools to stay safe in the event of a fire. The students were fully engaged with many questions helping them to remain safe in the event of a fire.

Fourth graders do a lot of independent reading at Forest Lake Elementary School, but they're always eager to talk about their books. That’s why students in Michele Anszelowicz’s class regularly get together with their reading partners.

Although they will work across all five buildings, the 22 new teachers who gathered in the Wantagh Middle School library on Aug. 28 will always share a special bond. Their careers in the Wantagh School District began together in 2023.

Fifth grade moving-up ceremonies were held at Wantagh High School from June 20 to 22, during which more than 200 students were recognized for their successful completion of elementary school.

Thomas Burke began his career in education in the Wantagh School District, and now he returns as the new principal of Forest Lake Elementary School. Following an extensive search, Mr. Burke was appointed by the Board of Education and was re-introduced to the community on June 15.

Third graders launched themselves into the final STEAM challenge of the year by building catapults at Forest Lake Elementary School. It was a way for students to show their knowledge of the engineering design process.

Parents, grandparents, siblings and even babysitters were among the special guests at Forest Lake Elementary School on May 19 for VIP Day. The annual event allows students to invite in a special adult for a shared learning experience.

A new recess initiative for kindergartners at Forest Lake Elementary School is cultivating new friendships among students at the beginning of their 13-year educational journey together.

On April 25, 2023, Mandalay Elementary School will be hosting a Mental Health Summit for all Wantagh parents at the Elementary level. Our program will feature a keynote speaker, information tables, and an additional session of your choice.

Fourth graders have a unique way of storing all of their work in Michele Anszelowicz’s class at Forest Lake Elementary School in the Wantagh School District. Their pizza box portfolios are filled with classwork and projects that reflect the vast amount of knowledge they have gained this year.

The Kindness Squad at Forest Lake Elementary School has some words of encouragement for their peers. The group of fourth graders recently created inspirational posters to hang around the school.

The new Video Game Club at Forest Lake Elementary School in the Wantagh School District is the quintessential way for students to develop 21st century skills. They learn how to work as a team, to display good sportsmanship, to solve problems and to understand modern technology.

Football is a popular sport in Wantagh and with support from the NFL, students at Forest Lake Elementary School will have more chances to play flag football. Physical education teacher Christine Moran applied for equipment through the NFL’s Flag In-School program, and Forest Lake received more than a dozen footballs as well as bright green and yellow flag belts.

Some very important people made their way to Forest Lake Elementary School on May 20, and it brought a smile to face of every student. VIP Day returned as an in-person event for the first time since 2019, with parents, grandparents and other special guests invited to get a taste of life at the school.

About three dozen environmentally conscious students arrived early at Forest Lake Elementary School in the Wantagh School District on April 8 for some good old fashioned spring cleaning. By the time classes started, they had filled several bags with litter found around the back of the school.

The inaugural day of giving at Forest Lake Elementary School was a huge success, with students filling about 350 treat bags. The donations will be given to the nonprofit Interfaith Nutrition Network in Hempstead, which helps the hungry and homeless on Long Island.

By putting their engineering skills to the test, students at Forest Lake and Mandalay elementary schools got to make themselves part of popular holiday tale. Children were tasked with a fun building project to aid in the escape of the Gingerbread Man.

In the course of a year, children spend more than 1,000 hours in their school, and they should feel like it’s their second home. That’s why the student council at Forest Lake Elementary School is given great opportunities to make positive differences.

When was the last time you were moved and motivated by a book? For Nicole Pataky’s fifth grade class at Forest Lake, Catherine Ryan Hide’s national bestseller “Pay it Forward” not only spawned altruism on the school campus but will be a book the students will remember their entire lives.

After discussing ways to improve the community and secure a Bronze Award, members of Wantagh Girl Scout Troop 3654 decided to tackle the issue of trash and abandoned disposable masks that litter the Wantagh community and surrounding Forest Lake Elementary School grounds.

The Wantagh School District’s Department of Fine and Performing Arts is pleased to announce that 24 students represented the district in the annual Art Supervisors Association All-County Art Exhibit from their respective schools. Additionally, Wantagh High School senior Francis Peretti was selected as one of 42 ASA All-County Senior Scholarship winners.