Commack School District

Primary schools

The Primary Schools in the Commack School district are Indian Hollow, Rolling Hills, North Ridge, and Wood Park. They service students in grades K–2. The school day for these schools last from around 9:20 AM to 3:20 PM although one should check with the specific schools for exact times. The students have one teacher throughout the day except for special classes like music, art, and physical education and special services like speech, physical, or occupational therapy. Primary School teachers take their time to provide students with a good transition into schooling.

Intermediate Schools

The Intermediate Schools are Burr and Sawmill. They service students in grades 3–5. Their school day is from 8:50 AM to 3:05 PM. The two buildings are identical in their structure and design. Both schools have at least ten clubs that meet while school is not in session. The children have one teacher for the whole day except for special classes like music, art and physical education. There are many special services available like Physical Speech and Occupational Therapy, social workers, psychologists and a gifted and talented program. There is also an English as a second language program. In fourth grade, the students begin to learn a musical instrument. They are given lessons once a week and participate in the schools Band or Orchestra. There is also a chorus for students who are interested in singing. Each fifth grade class in both schools takes a two-day trip to Camp Mariah in Fishkill, NY towards the end of the year.

Middle school

The Commack Middle School services students in grades 6–8. The school day lasts from 7:55 AM to 2:42 PM. Commack Middle School is also the first school with multiple classes in different rooms, unlike the Intermediate and Primary schools. Each period is 42 minutes for the exception of 1st period (47 minutes) and 9th period (43 minutes.)The students have 9 periods per day, each with a different teacher. Each child is required to take Math, English, Science, Social Studies, a foreign language, and Physical Education all year for the entire three years. They are also required to take Art, Family and Consumer Science, Technology and Health for a quarter of each year. There are sixty-five clubs and twenty sports teams for students to involve themselves in.

High school

The Commack High School services students in grades 9–12. The school day lasts from 7:30 AM to 2:25 PM. The students have nine periods per day, each with a different teacher. The classes are forty-one minutes in length with 5 minutes of walking time in between them. Each student is required to meet the requirements for a New York State Regents diploma unless there are special circumstances. They are also required to complete fifteen CSIP (community service involvement program) credits their first three years and twenty their senior year. They can be fulfilled by participating in sports and clubs or by doing volunteer work. Commack High School is an International Baccalaureate School and students pursuing an IB diploma are subject to a more stringent of requirements. As of 2014 there were fifteen honor societies, sixty clubs and twenty-one sports teams for students to participate in. In 2012, U.S. News & World Report ranked Commack High School the best high school in Suffolk County, the third best on Long Island, the 18th best in New York state, and the 95th best in the country.

Academics

Commack Middle School was awarded first place in the Long Island Regional Middle School Science Bowl academic competition at Brookhaven National Laboratory on April 14, 2007, and went on to take seventh place in the academic competition in the National Middle School Science Bowl that same year. It is also a blue ribbon school of excellence (Blue Ribbon Schools Program). The Suffolk County Reading Council has recognized the Commack School District elementary schools for their achievements in the area of literacy. Commack had the highest Regents Diploma rate (94%) in 2004 of all comprehensive Suffolk County Districts. Ninety-five percent of its graduating seniors went to colleges of their choice. Commack fourth grade math scores and eighth grade ELA scores were the highest among all school districts in the towns of Huntington and Smithtown. Standardized test scores for its elementary school students in the areas of reading/writing and mathematics significantly exceed the national average.

Notable Alumni

Teacher and administrative contracts

Commack administrator and teacher salaries are among the highest in New York State. This has caused some controversy, including a story in Newsday A full view of the teacher contract and teacher salaries as well as administrative salaries and their contract is available at the Commack Teacher Contract Website

Teacher and Administration Salaries

http://rocdocs.democratandchronicle.com/database/educator-salaries-new-york