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Riverhead teachers host ice cream socials for kindergartners

BARBARAELLEN KOCH PHOTO | Riverhead teacher Shirley Hill giving out ice cream to kindergartners Wednesday at the Jamesport firehouse.
BARBARAELLEN KOCH PHOTO | Riverhead teacher Shirley Hill giving out ice cream to kindergartners Wednesday at the Jamesport firehouse.

The Riverhead teacher union sponsored ice cream socials for kindergartners Wednesday at the Jamesport and Flanders firehouses.

“Even though kindergarten orientation was held back in June, this gives the children and their parents another opportunity to meet the teachers and put a face with the name before school starts,” said Phil Kent, the 10th-year principal at Aquebogue Elementary School.

“They can learn more about the school, the community and their fellow classmates,” he added.

Teachers read from the book, ‘The Night Before Kindergarten” by Natasha Wing and Julie Durrell.

Each kindergartner was given a copy of the book to take home. After the event, the children enjoyed a cup of ice cream and Oreo cookies and got a chance to color some coloring book pages.

Aquebogue elementary has four kindergarten classes with about 85 students total.Riverhead Central Faculty Association officials stated in a press release that the goals of the ice cream socials are:

• To help kindergartners and their families adjust to a full school day more quickly so learning can take place.
• To let parents know that Riverhead teachers care about their children and want all of them to succeed.
• To promote reading, literacy, and learning.
• To promote a positive feeling about Riverhead schools.
• To help parents understand the importance of full day kindergarten for learning.Riley and Roanoke Avenue kindergartners were treated to an ice cream social Thursday afternoon at Riverhead fire headquarters.
The first day of school is next Wednesday.
Aquebogue teacher,
BARBARAELLEN KOCH PHOTO | Shirley Hill, who teaches special education in Aquebogue, reading ‘The Night Before Kindergarten.’
Jamesport Fire Department, Riverhead teacher union RCFA
BARBARAELLEN KOCH PHOTO | Carlos Garcia, 3, (his sister Diany is a kindergartner) Bryce Mackie and Coy Witt during coloring time Wednesday.