In the waning days of June, Southdown Primary School Principal Scott Oshrin summoned the students in his building for a final Splash Assembly in the gym. It was a fun gathering that included the presentation of awards.
Southdown is the home of the dolphins, the school’s mascot. Students are awarded “splashes” for displaying positive behavior in the classroom and all around the building, including being kind to others, demonstrating proper behavior in hallways and even boosting the spirits of someone feeling a little down.
One Southdown student is selected from each class in the building for formal recognition at the monthly “splash” assembly. The school considers these youngsters to be its “stars of the month.”
June’s honorees included:
Kindergarten: Hannah Eucedas Santos, Nelson Jimenez Henriquez, Monalina Bathe
First grade: Shajini Kamalendran, Lily Policastro, Zyanah McCoy
Second grade: Asly Canales-Reyes, Brooke Murphy, Zachary Chery, Jaime Uvena, Paul Grasso
Third grade: Graham Gooch, Amelia Carino, Yanelin Gomez Martinez, Jason Campos Zelaya
Fourth grade: Lilyanna Rivera, Jennovy Fuentas, Kelly Guandique Saravia
Mr. Oshrin kept the mood upbeat, as he always does. The assembly program celebrated Southdown’s third and fourth graders, who are all headed to new schools in September.
The district has reorganized its elementary grade level configuration. Southdown, Flower Hill, Jefferson and Washington schools will now educate grades K-3. Jack Abrams STEM Magnet School and Woodhull Intermediate School will house grades 4-6.
Saying goodbye is never easy and there were the expected tears from students, teachers and support staff at Southdown, but there’s plenty of excitement, too.