December 16, 2022

Hour of Code Comes to Mahopac Most people don't think of coding, or computer programming, as an activity for young students. But integrating coding into elementary school classrooms is exactly what Mimi Murphy and Trish Huestis have been doing for the last three years.   The two educators offer “Hour of Code” at Lakeview, Austin Road and Fulmar Elementary Schools. Through the one-hour introduction, all students in kindergarten through fifth grade have the opportunity to learn some basic coding skills. Hour of Code is an international event celebrating computer science education.   Even the youngest students learn a lot during Hour of Code, which is typically held in December.   “It’s BB-8!” one of Shannon O’Shea’s kindergarten students said, “He rolls around!”   The Lakeview student was looking up at the smart board where some famous robot characters including R2-D2, Wall-E and BB-8 were displayed. Murphy explained to the students that most robots don’t understand English, they understand “code.”   Students were “programmed” with a special set of instructions, using symbols instead of words. They followed along, hopping, spinning and stepping when they recognized the corresponding symbols.   “I speak robot!” another student said.   Huestis and Murphy explain why it is beneficial for students to participate in an Hour of Code.   “Coding is ‘health food’ for your brain. It reinforces key math concepts related to logic and computational thinking. Coding requires problem-solving and perseverance, an essential skill set for every stage of life. Additionally, there are many job opportunities for coders and programmers. As technology continues to advance, the number of those opportunities is rising exponentially.”   After learning that robots understand their own unique language, O’Shea’s students returned to their seats and were instructed to program a beaver to finish building a dam. Students had to use a preset list of commands and string them together so that their beaver would move to the correct spots on the dam and drop logs into place to complete the structure. Many kindergarteners took to the exercise like fish to water, quickly completing all of the beginner levels. Hour of Code makes coding relatable to students of all ages.

Fostering an Appreciation for Music in the MMS Orchestra

Learning to play any instrument can be a daunting task. But Mahopac Middle School’s orchestra, led by Katelyn Tai, offers students an opportunity to develop their skills on a wide range of instruments each week.   “Mahopac has encouraged me to focus on music,” said Sullivan, who is also a member of the chamber orchestra. “When we’re practicing with our sections we can move through the music quickly and then we play really well together as a whole orchestra.”   After weeks of practice, the orchestra took to the Mahopac Middle School stage for a performance attended by friends and family on Tuesday night. The ensemble performed well and the students were excited to get back to practice for the next performance.   Seventh grade twins, Andrew and Aaron Rojas, do everything together, including playing cello in the orchestra. Both have seen significant improvement in their playing skills since they picked up the instrument a few years earlier.   “It’s been a lot of hard work and we did really well, but we can always do better,” Andrew said about Tuesday’s performance.   “We’ve made a lot of progress since the beginning of this year and we’re already learning our next pieces,” Aaron said.   The students in the orchestra are always striving to succeed and better themselves.   “My favorite memory of playing in the orchestra is when we played creatures on stage,” Polanco Cartmill said. “We played it better than in all of our rehearsals.”

Haris Pupovic, Mahopac's Ninja Warrior

While students often spend many years finding their interests, one Fulmar Road Elementary third grader is already making waves in an unconventional after-school activity.   Haris Pupovic is a Ninja Warrior and has been ever since he was four years old.   “Haris has so much energy, but he didn’t really have a place to go to utilize that with traditional sports,” Haris’ mother Emily Pupovic said, “that’s when we took him to ‘Ninja.’”   Being a Ninja Warrior means training, running and competing on agility courses consisting of jumps, climbs, water hazards and a wide variety of other obstacles. Ninja Warriors aren’t just expected to overcome every new obstacle on any given course, but they’re also expected to do it quickly.   Pupovic emphasized that the focus and endurance required to complete courses provided Haris with exactly the outlet that he needed.   “Doing the obstacle courses is hard because you need to use different skills to overcome each part,” Haris said. “You have to be good at hanging and swinging from your hands and balancing. It’s a lot of practice.”   Haris attracted a lot of attention earlier this year when he competed in the Federation of International Ninja Athletics (FINA) World Championships, held in Buffalo, New York. The competition was fierce, but the Fulmar Road student held his own and finished with a respectable time.   Haris continues to train and compete in FINA events. He said that he was not deterred by the notion of failure, even though falling during a competition could spell the end of an attempt.   “If you fail, you can’t give up,” Haris said, “you just have to practice and try again.” 

Mahopac High School students assist Jennifer Degl for her eighth year collecting toys to donate to Maria Fareri Children's Hospital, to be delivered in time for the holidays. Students, staff, faculty, and the Mahopac Community have also contributed to the annual Toys for Tots toy drive across the Mahopac CSD.

12/19 - MHS Winter Recital 12/22 - Community Connections with the Superintendent 12/22 - Board of Education Meeting 12/26 - 1/2 - Holiday Recess (Schools closed)  Click Here for the Full District Calendar

Mission Statement To prepare each and every student for college and career readiness, and to educate all students to be responsible and productive members of the global community.

Mahopac Central School District 179 East Lake Boulevard, Mahopac, NY 10541-1666 Phone: 845-628-3415 Fax: 845-628-5502

CONNECT WITH MAHOPAC