Most-Read Miller Place-Rocky Point Stories in November

After A Decade, Fate Of The Rocky Point Drive-In Is Decided

The Town of Brookhaven released a statement Friday letting the community know that the old Rocky Point Drive-In located adjacent to the Crossroads Plaza East Shopping Center in Rocky Point is now protected from becoming a big box store.

Councilwoman Jane Bonner, an advocate for small businesses, and Supervisor Ed Romaine worked together to protect the land at 85 Route 25A. After over a decade of litigation and concerns from the community, the two were able to announce that there has been some resolve.

Rocky Point Elementary Students Participate In Native American Traditions

Each second-grader at Frank J. Carasiti Elementary School in Rocky Point donned Native American headdresses with traditional symbols and feathers to celebrate Thanksgiving. The teachers had the student participate in a realistic powwow to finish out their Thanksgiving unit of study. 

The teachers took the Thanksgiving unit very seriously by creating lessons that incorporated music, physical education, art, and history. Additionally, students learned about Native American culture and how Pilgrims were treated when they first arrived.

During the powwow, the students first listened to the story “Giving Thanks: A Native American Good Morning Message,” which discussed the many ways Native Americans traditionally give thanks. 

Rocky Point Man Charged in Attempted Bank Robbery

A Rocky Point man was arrested Tuesday afternoon after police say he attempted to rob a HSBC bank in Port Jefferson Station. 

Eric Henn, 31, entered the bank at 574 Jefferson Plaza around 2:15 p.m. and presented a threatening note demanding cash from the teller, police said. 

"The teller did not immediately comply with the demand" and Henn fled the scene on foot heading westbound, police said. 

Police were able to track down Henn at a shopping center located at 4810 Nesconset Highway in Port Jefferson at 3:50 p.m. after detectives reviewed video footage of the robbery and conducted a canvass of the area. 

Henn was arrested without incident, police said. He is charged with third degree attempted robbery and is due to be arraigned at First District Court in Central Islip on Wednesday. 

Common Core Forum: 'Ticked Off Mommies' Demand: 'Are We Loud Enough?'

They're mad as hell — and they're not going to take it anymore.

A Common Core forum held at Eastport-South Manor Tuesday night brought out scores of parents, educators and students who echoed a common refrain of disappointment, despair and anger over a curriculum they said stands to dim the light of learning in their children.

Although the speakers at the forum attended by New York State Education Commissioner Dr. John King.were, for the most part, restrained, at times, comments got so heated that Mark A. Nocero, superintendent of schools Eastport-South Manor, demanded respect and asked that attendees treat speakers as though they were guests in their own homes.

New York State Senator Ken LaValle asked that participants not "humiliate or ridicule" one another.

The forum dealt with four topics: curriculum, assessment and testing, Annual Professional Performance Review, or teacher assessment, and data privacy, plus a time for miscellaneous questions at the end.

Poll: What Do You Want At The Old Rocky Point Drive-In?

With help from the Town of Brookhaven, Councilwoman Jane Bonner has won a 10-year battle with the New York State Court of Appeals to protect the property where the old Rocky Point Drive-In sign stands from big-box store development. 

Now Bonner is calling for ideas on what should be proposed to the developer in the land next to the Crossroads Plaza East Shopping Center. It's up to the Rocky Point residents to give her ideas. 

Any ideas that fall within the proper zoning, Bonner will be more than happy to bring to the developers attention in hopes to give him accurate feedback from the community. Ultimately the developers will work to make a proposal for the property. 

MP Residents Wants Math Modules Thrown Out

Parents spoke for over two hours at a board meeting on Oct. 30 asking the Miller Place Board of Education to consider changing the implementation of the common core curriculum.

Although parents seem on board with the common core standards, many complained that the modules, also known as lesson plans, that are being used to teach students are too confusing, that parents can’t even understand them.

As part of the implementation of Common Core, the New York State Education Department provided curriculum modules for both ELA and math that can be adopted or adapted locally in a district. Miller Place has chosen to adapt the modules and use them as a new teaching method for students. However, parents say this new way of teaching is not working, specifically for the math classes.

Janine Scheuermann, Miller Place resident and special education teacher in Half-Hollow Hills, said her second grade twin daughters, who have always excelled, are now tanking due to the modules.

“It takes us a really long time to sit with our second graders and do math. They are struggling…this is a kid who loved school and I am upset because this is a kid who wanted to be a special education teacher and now no more,” said Scheuermann.