News from the Mahopac Central School District

March 31, 2023

Austin Road Students Discuss Social Media Responsibility

Austin Road fifth graders got some tips this week on how to use social media responsibly – a critical skill for today’s young people.

“You have so many more things that you need to handle than I did when I was your age,” said Austin Road Elementary Principal Bryan Gilligan. “You have a great responsibility for the way that you act online.”

Addressing the students in a townhall style meeting, Gilligan stressed that every message they send or post they make is a conscious choice. It has the power to hurt others and to alter the future of the person making the post.

“Make sure whatever it is you want to send is something you would be comfortable saying in front of your parents,” Gilligan said.

He also told students to “Remember, you aren’t ever totally anonymous online and nothing you post on the internet ever really goes away.” He went on to cite examples of posts that had been shared with him by parents.

Students were clearly affected by Gilligan’s words. They were encouraged to speak amongst themselves to develop a plan of action to take before pressing send or making a post.

“I’ll think about how my words will make someone else feel,” said one student. “If it’s going to hurt someone’s feelings then I won’t send it!”

Another cited good advice from a parent: “My mom said that I should wait to respond to something that makes me angry until I’m not upset anymore.”

Still another student said, “I would think about all of the events leading up to then and think about why I am sending it.”

Having students reflect on their online behavior is in keeping with the Mahopac Central School District’s mission “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.”

The Mahopac Central School district believes that social media safety is important for our students. As previously shared, assemblies will take place in all schools after spring break for our students in grades 4-12. In addition, all District parents and guardians are invited to attend a presentation on Wednesday, April 12th at 7 p.m. in the Mahopac High School auditorium.

This Week in Photos

MHS Students Featured at

Garrison Art Center Exhibition

Garrison Art Center held its School Invitational Theme Exhibition last week and some of Mahopac's very own blooming artists had their work featured. The exhibit featured works in many different media and styles, but Mahopac's student artwork stood out for its creativity and quality. The students' impressive works will remain on display until April 2nd. For more information, visit Garrison Art Center's website here.

Fulmar Road Students Visit Mahopac Library

In a world of fast entertainment, social media, and shrinking attention spans, Fulmar's finest visited the Mahopac Library to spend some quality time browsing the shelves in search of their next literary adventure.

The students of Fulmar Road's second grade class decorated book marks, checked out a few books, and each student even received a free book to keep.

MMS Students Develop Home Skills and

Make Delicious Crepes

Education isn't only about literature, history, and arithmetic. Staff and faculty at Mahopac Middle School are dedicated to providing students with skills that will be applicable in every aspect of students' lives. Sometimes that means learning the Pythagorean theorem; other times it means learning to make delicious crepes. Fruit, whipped cream, and powdered sugar adorned the treats and by the end of class, students had acquired new knowledge and a tasty snack.

MHS Students Impress at Mock Trial

Students at Mahopac High School impressed last week when they participated in a mock trial presided over by the Honorable Joseph Spofford, Putnam County Supreme Court Judge. Students followed real court procedures and argued their case persuasively, honing skills in critical thinking, communications and professionalism. The case was "Remington Stone v. Marley Miser and Acme Construction Company."

Counseling Workshop Comes to Austin Road

Mahopac Counselor Stephanie Stone has been making the rounds of the district's elementary schools this year. During visits, she encourages students to reflect on the positive impact they have had on one another. The goal is to foster students to become their "best selves." It is just one of the many ways that Mahopac Schools seek to educate well-rounded students.