McVey Thinks Pink!
McVey was a sea of pink on Tuesday, October 20, as students and staff came together for Breast Cancer Awareness Month! Our McVey family proudly wore pink to show support for those affected by breast cancer and share a message of hope and encouragement. It was a day filled with school spirit and compassion—a colorful reminder that caring for others is part of what makes our community special. Way to be Mighty Kind, McVey!
By Owen Vessillo
The Publicity Club
Fire Safety Fun at McVey
On Monday, October 19, McVey students enjoyed a fun and educational Fire Prevention Day! Firefighters shared important fire safety tips and gave students a close look at fire trucks, an ambulance, and the power tools they use to keep our community safe. A highlight of the day was seeing Mrs. Trionfo and Mr. Jonson up on the fire truck’s ladder!
Thank you to our firefighters for sharing their knowledge and helping our students learn how to stay safe!
By Owen Vessillo and Archer Zhang
The Publicity Club
75 Years of McVey Memories!
McVey families, friends, and staff came together on Wednesday, September 30, for our Fall Festival and Time Capsule Celebration, honoring 75 years of McVey! The evening was filled with fun, friendship, and school spirit as we celebrated our school’s history and the amazing community that makes McVey so special. Together, we celebrated old memories and made new ones!
McVey families, friends, and staff came together on Wednesday, September 30, for our Fall Festival and Time Capsule Celebration, honoring 75 years of McVey! The evening was filled with fun, friendship, and school spirit as we celebrated our school’s history and the amazing community that makes McVey so special. Together, we celebrated old memories and made new ones!
McVey is off to a fantastic start! Our students and staff returned with energy, enthusiasm, and a strong sense of school spirit. Classrooms are buzzing with learning, routines are taking shape, and our school community has done an outstanding job kicking off the new year. We are proud of our students and faculty for starting the year strong!
🏀 McVey Shows Its Knicks Pride!
McVey students and staff recently celebrated the New York Knicks' NBA Championship victory by wearing team apparel and showing their school spirit. Throughout the day, students proudly displayed their Knicks gear while sharing their excitement about the team's incredible season. The celebration was a fun way to recognize the importance of teamwork, perseverance, sportsmanship, and supporting one another both on and off the court. Go Knicks! 🏀💙🧡
McVey students and staff recently celebrated the New York Knicks' NBA Championship victory by wearing team apparel and showing their school spirit. Throughout the day, students proudly displayed their Knicks gear while sharing their excitement about the team's incredible season. The celebration was a fun way to recognize the importance of teamwork, perseverance, sportsmanship, and supporting one another both on and off the court. Go Knicks! 🏀💙🧡
Mighty Mind Multiplication Championship
McVey students recently celebrated another exciting round of Mighty Mind Multiplication competitions. After weeks of practicing their math facts and competing against classmates, the grade-level championship teams were announced. Congratulations to the Grade 3 Costanardi team, the Grade 4 Gelleri team, and the Grade 5 Talbot team for earning spots in the school championships.
The Mighty Mind Multiplication School Championships took place in the gymnasium, where the top teams from each grade level competed for the school title. Students worked hard all year to build their multiplication fluency and demonstrated great teamwork, determination, and sportsmanship throughout the competition. A special congratulations goes to the Talbot class for winning the Grade 5 championship and earning the title of McVey's Mighty Mind Multiplication Champions.
McVey students recently celebrated another exciting round of Mighty Mind Multiplication competitions. After weeks of practicing their math facts and competing against classmates, the grade-level championship teams were announced. Congratulations to the Grade 3 Costanardi team, the Grade 4 Gelleri team, and the Grade 5 Talbot team for earning spots in the school championships.
The Mighty Mind Multiplication School Championships took place in the gymnasium, where the top teams from each grade level competed for the school title. Students worked hard all year to build their multiplication fluency and demonstrated great teamwork, determination, and sportsmanship throughout the competition. A special congratulations goes to the Talbot class for winning the Grade 5 championship and earning the title of McVey's Mighty Mind Multiplication Champions.
Nassau County Police Helicopter Visits McVey!
This week, McVey students had an exciting opportunity to see a Nassau County Police Department helicopter up close! Students from Pre-K through 5th grade gathered outside to watch the helicopter land and later take off. They also had the chance to look inside the helicopter and learn about its equipment and how it helps police officers serve and protect our community. The visit gave students a firsthand look at an important part of public safety and was an unforgettable experience for everyone.
Written and Published by: Maggie Shea and Sarah Faraci.
This week, McVey students had an exciting opportunity to see a Nassau County Police Department helicopter up close! Students from Pre-K through 5th grade gathered outside to watch the helicopter land and later take off. They also had the chance to look inside the helicopter and learn about its equipment and how it helps police officers serve and protect our community. The visit gave students a firsthand look at an important part of public safety and was an unforgettable experience for everyone.
Written and Published by: Maggie Shea and Sarah Faraci.
Buzzing with Success at the McVey Spelling Bee!
McVey students recently put their spelling skills to the test during our annual Spelling Bee! Participants impressed everyone with their knowledge, confidence, and outstanding sportsmanship throughout the competition. A special congratulations goes to Norah Siddique, who earned First Place, and Hiba Javed, who earned Second Place. We are so proud of all the students who participated and represented McVey so well. Thank you to the teachers and staff who helped make this exciting event a success! 🐝📚✨
McVey students recently put their spelling skills to the test during our annual Spelling Bee! Participants impressed everyone with their knowledge, confidence, and outstanding sportsmanship throughout the competition. A special congratulations goes to Norah Siddique, who earned First Place, and Hiba Javed, who earned Second Place. We are so proud of all the students who participated and represented McVey so well. Thank you to the teachers and staff who helped make this exciting event a success! 🐝📚✨
Rock Solid Kindness! 🌎🪨
Our Earth Savers Club showed what it truly means to be Mighty Kind by painting rocks using items they found right outside! This creative project highlighted how we can reuse everyday materials to make something meaningful while helping take care of our planet. Each rock was designed to spread positivity and inspire others to make the world better than they found it. Once finished, students placed their rocks all around McVey for others to discover. Be on the lookout—you might just find a small reminder of kindness when you need it most!
Our Earth Savers Club showed what it truly means to be Mighty Kind by painting rocks using items they found right outside! This creative project highlighted how we can reuse everyday materials to make something meaningful while helping take care of our planet. Each rock was designed to spread positivity and inspire others to make the world better than they found it. Once finished, students placed their rocks all around McVey for others to discover. Be on the lookout—you might just find a small reminder of kindness when you need it most!
Mighty Minds Dress for Success!
On March 26, 2026, McVey’s Mighty Minds celebrated PARP Dress for Success Day, and the building was filled with style and confidence! Students and teachers came dressed to impress, showing that looking your best can help you feel your best while learning. It was exciting to see so many polished outfits throughout the school, and everyone had a great time participating in this special day. Another fun PARP event helped our Mighty Minds Get Smart in style!
Written By: Maggie Shea and Reagan Leake
The Publicity Club
On March 26, 2026, McVey’s Mighty Minds celebrated PARP Dress for Success Day, and the building was filled with style and confidence! Students and teachers came dressed to impress, showing that looking your best can help you feel your best while learning. It was exciting to see so many polished outfits throughout the school, and everyone had a great time participating in this special day. Another fun PARP event helped our Mighty Minds Get Smart in style!
Written By: Maggie Shea and Reagan Leake
The Publicity Club
Cozy Learning with Our Mighty Minds!
On March 25, 2026, McVey’s Mighty Minds enjoyed PARP Pajama Day, and the building was filled with comfort and excitement! Students came to school dressed in their coziest pajamas, ready to relax, read, and Get Smart. It was great to see so many smiling faces as students stayed comfortable while continuing their learning. All grade levels had a blast celebrating another fun and memorable PARP day at McVey!
Written By: Maggie Shea
The Publicity Club
On March 25, 2026, McVey’s Mighty Minds enjoyed PARP Pajama Day, and the building was filled with comfort and excitement! Students came to school dressed in their coziest pajamas, ready to relax, read, and Get Smart. It was great to see so many smiling faces as students stayed comfortable while continuing their learning. All grade levels had a blast celebrating another fun and memorable PARP day at McVey!
Written By: Maggie Shea
The Publicity Club
Mighty Minds Bring Book Characters to Life!
On March 24, 2026, McVey’s Mighty Minds celebrated PARP with Dress Up as Your Favorite Book Character Day, and the creativity throughout the building was incredible! Students showed up in so many amazing outfits, from familiar storybook favorites to some unique characters we didn’t even recognize. It was so much fun to see our school filled with imagination, excitement, and a love of reading. This was another PARP day that students truly enjoyed as they continued to Get Smart and celebrate the power of books at McVey!
Written By: Maggie Shea and Reagan Leake
The Publicity Club
On March 24, 2026, McVey’s Mighty Minds celebrated PARP with Dress Up as Your Favorite Book Character Day, and the creativity throughout the building was incredible! Students showed up in so many amazing outfits, from familiar storybook favorites to some unique characters we didn’t even recognize. It was so much fun to see our school filled with imagination, excitement, and a love of reading. This was another PARP day that students truly enjoyed as they continued to Get Smart and celebrate the power of books at McVey!
Written By: Maggie Shea and Reagan Leake
The Publicity Club
🦸♂️ PARP Superhero Day at McVey! 🦸♀️
On March 18 we dressed like superheroes at McVey! We wore all types of superhero outfits, or anything related to superheroes. The reason we dressed like superheroes was to celebrate the power of reading, imagination, and to recognize that everyone has their own unique strengths—like kindness, creativity, and intelligence—that make them a “superhero” at McVey.
This special day connected to building a positive, inclusive, and encouraging environment where students felt valued and supported. Here at McVey, everyone is included and supported by our wonderful staff, which is why we celebrated—because everyone at McVey is a Mighty Mind and a superhero who is a true bucket filler!
Here are some fun facts about Superhero Day:
You don’t need a cape to be a hero—acts of kindness, courage, and helping others make people, including kids, real-life superheroes!
Spider-Man and Black Panther show that being agile, flexible, and fast helps you be ready for any adventure!
Just like the Hulk, it’s okay to feel angry or sad, but the real power is learning how to manage those feelings and use them to help others.
Even heroes like Captain America and Iron Man, who sometimes disagree, show that working together is stronger than working alone—and that you can work things out and create great ideas together!
Written By: Olivia Basta, Udita Sen, and Penelope Vidals (The Publicity Club)
On March 18 we dressed like superheroes at McVey! We wore all types of superhero outfits, or anything related to superheroes. The reason we dressed like superheroes was to celebrate the power of reading, imagination, and to recognize that everyone has their own unique strengths—like kindness, creativity, and intelligence—that make them a “superhero” at McVey.
This special day connected to building a positive, inclusive, and encouraging environment where students felt valued and supported. Here at McVey, everyone is included and supported by our wonderful staff, which is why we celebrated—because everyone at McVey is a Mighty Mind and a superhero who is a true bucket filler!
Here are some fun facts about Superhero Day:
You don’t need a cape to be a hero—acts of kindness, courage, and helping others make people, including kids, real-life superheroes!
Spider-Man and Black Panther show that being agile, flexible, and fast helps you be ready for any adventure!
Just like the Hulk, it’s okay to feel angry or sad, but the real power is learning how to manage those feelings and use them to help others.
Even heroes like Captain America and Iron Man, who sometimes disagree, show that working together is stronger than working alone—and that you can work things out and create great ideas together!
Written By: Olivia Basta, Udita Sen, and Penelope Vidals (The Publicity Club)
🧦 PARP Crazy Socks Day! 🧦
March 17 was St. Patrick’s Day!
As part of our PARP celebration, students showed off their creativity by wearing crazy or mismatched socks. All around McVey, you could see fun patterns, bright colors, and lots of unique sock combinations! Many students also added a festive touch by wearing green and fun accessories to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. We took pictures to capture all of the school spirit and creativity on display. What a fun and spirited way to keep getting smart at McVey!
Written By: Olivia Basta, Udita Sen, Penelope Vidals, and Paige Teemsma (The Publicity Club)
March 17 was St. Patrick’s Day!
As part of our PARP celebration, students showed off their creativity by wearing crazy or mismatched socks. All around McVey, you could see fun patterns, bright colors, and lots of unique sock combinations! Many students also added a festive touch by wearing green and fun accessories to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. We took pictures to capture all of the school spirit and creativity on display. What a fun and spirited way to keep getting smart at McVey!
Written By: Olivia Basta, Udita Sen, Penelope Vidals, and Paige Teemsma (The Publicity Club)
Second grade recently wrapped up their Greek Mythology CKLA unit with one of McVey’s most exciting traditions—Ancient Greece Day! Mighty Minds traveled back in time as students and teachers dressed up as their favorite Greek mythological characters. Throughout the day, classes rotated through different classrooms to compete in their own Olympic-style games. With teamwork, energy, and lots of fun, our young scholars celebrated their learning and showed that at McVey, we’re always finding creative ways to Get Smart! 🏛️🏅
On the 101st day of school, our amazing 1st graders had a spot-tacular time dressing up as Dalmatians to celebrate 101 days of getting smarter! Covered in creative black spots from head to toe, these Mighty Minds showed that learning is something to celebrate. From counting to 101 to completing fun literacy and math activities, our students proved that every day at school helps them grow brighter, bolder, and smarter. It was a paws-itively perfect day of fun, friendship, and “Get Smart” spirit! 🐾✨
💜 P.S. I Love You Day 💜
Today we went all around the school and saw so many people wearing purple because it is P.S. I Love You Day! P.S. I Love You Day is a mental health awareness day focused on ending bullying and promoting community kindness, often symbolized by wearing purple.
Another thing that people do for P.S. I Love You Day is leave positive notes and participate in school or community activities that encourage the message, “You are not alone,” and help make happiness spread throughout the building.
When do people celebrate this? P.S. I Love You Day is observed on the second Friday of February every year. In 2026, this falls on February 13.
💜 Fun Facts!
Why Purple?
Purple was chosen because it was believed to be a “soft, yet powerful, warm, beautiful color” that now symbolizes the movement.
2026 Theme:
The theme for the 16th annual celebration (February 13, 2026) is “Be the Light,” symbolized by a lighthouse to represent being a beacon of hope for others.
Rapid Growth:
What started as a local initiative at West Islip High School in New York has grown to include over 200 schools and reach hundreds of thousands of people across the U.S. and Canada.
At McVey, it was inspiring to see so many people dressed in purple and sharing positive messages. Together, we helped remind everyone that they are not alone — and that kindness truly makes a difference. 💜
From: Udita Sen, Olivia Basta, and Penelope Vidals
(The Publicity Club)
Today we went all around the school and saw so many people wearing purple because it is P.S. I Love You Day! P.S. I Love You Day is a mental health awareness day focused on ending bullying and promoting community kindness, often symbolized by wearing purple.
Another thing that people do for P.S. I Love You Day is leave positive notes and participate in school or community activities that encourage the message, “You are not alone,” and help make happiness spread throughout the building.
When do people celebrate this? P.S. I Love You Day is observed on the second Friday of February every year. In 2026, this falls on February 13.
💜 Fun Facts!
Why Purple?
Purple was chosen because it was believed to be a “soft, yet powerful, warm, beautiful color” that now symbolizes the movement.
2026 Theme:
The theme for the 16th annual celebration (February 13, 2026) is “Be the Light,” symbolized by a lighthouse to represent being a beacon of hope for others.
Rapid Growth:
What started as a local initiative at West Islip High School in New York has grown to include over 200 schools and reach hundreds of thousands of people across the U.S. and Canada.
At McVey, it was inspiring to see so many people dressed in purple and sharing positive messages. Together, we helped remind everyone that they are not alone — and that kindness truly makes a difference. 💜
From: Udita Sen, Olivia Basta, and Penelope Vidals
(The Publicity Club)
The 3rd grade fundraiser took place on January 23, 2026. The students were fundraising to help save three pigs after reading Charlotte’s Web. There was a thrift store, dance party, necklace making, animal bingo, movie theater, bracelet making, and button/bookmark making. Every 15 minutes, the students rotated from class to class, and most students had an assigned job to help monitor the money for entry.
The movie theater showed short Pixar clips, which were very entertaining for all students. Mr. Leonardi ran the entrance and snacks for the movie theater. We spoke with Mrs. Cohen, who was running the thrift shop, about what inspired the 3rd grade teachers to do this fundraiser. She shared, “I love being environmentally friendly and reusing things.” The third graders not only learned a lot from the day, but also had a blast while doing it!
The movie theater showed short Pixar clips, which were very entertaining for all students. Mr. Leonardi ran the entrance and snacks for the movie theater. We spoke with Mrs. Cohen, who was running the thrift shop, about what inspired the 3rd grade teachers to do this fundraiser. She shared, “I love being environmentally friendly and reusing things.” The third graders not only learned a lot from the day, but also had a blast while doing it!
Cookie Fest
Last week, all grades participated in the yearly Cookie Fest, where students decorated cookies together. At Cookie Fest, all kids were included, so even if you have an allergy, you still got to make a cookie too. Students had the chance to decorate their cookies with frosting, Twizzlers, candy canes, and sprinkles. Cookie Fest is a great time to bond with friends and make memories during this festive time of year!
By: Maggie Shea, Reagan Leake, and Katherine Dhanessur
Publicity Club
Last week, all grades participated in the yearly Cookie Fest, where students decorated cookies together. At Cookie Fest, all kids were included, so even if you have an allergy, you still got to make a cookie too. Students had the chance to decorate their cookies with frosting, Twizzlers, candy canes, and sprinkles. Cookie Fest is a great time to bond with friends and make memories during this festive time of year!
By: Maggie Shea, Reagan Leake, and Katherine Dhanessur
Publicity Club
Medieval Day
Last week, the fourth grade participated in Medieval Day! Throughout Medieval Day, students played lots of games that were based on events from Medieval Times. Medieval Day is a great day to bond with friends by playing games together and even making some new friends. It is also a great way to learn more about what life was like during Medieval Times!
By: Maggie Shea, Reagan Leake, and Paige Teemsma
Publicity Club
Last week, the fourth grade participated in Medieval Day! Throughout Medieval Day, students played lots of games that were based on events from Medieval Times. Medieval Day is a great day to bond with friends by playing games together and even making some new friends. It is also a great way to learn more about what life was like during Medieval Times!
By: Maggie Shea, Reagan Leake, and Paige Teemsma
Publicity Club
