46 Oconnell Ct
Great River, NY 11739

I had a very disappointing experience at this school. From start to finish, it felt like the administration didn’t genuinely care about the students. Any concerns I brought to them were brushed off or ignored completely. My guidance counselor offered little to no support, especially when it came to college prep or planning for my future — I had to figure it out mostly on my own.Some of my teachers were unhelpful and disengaged. Instead of offering support or feedback during the school year, I was just told at the end that I failed and had to go to summer school, with no real effort made to help me succeed. It felt like they didn’t care if I passed or failed.The principal and the overall leadership were ineffective, and the school events were uninspired. Overall, this school did not provide a positive or supportive environment for learning or personal growth. I hope they make serious improvements for the students who are still there.

The 2022-23 school year was the first for my child at East Islip Middle School, where 6th grade is a transitional year as students get used to changing classes, using lockers, expanded testing curriculum, and sets the stage for the remainder of their primary education. Overall I feel the East Islip Middle School (EIMS) has done an excellent job in guiding my daughter through this journey. One of the primary make or break points in education comes down to the teachers. In 6th grade half of the courses are taught by 2 teachers (math/science, ELA/SS) and both of these teachers have done an outstanding job (even if their personalities and operating models are quite different). Communication to parents has been strong, workloads have been reasonable, and opportunities for additional reinforcement sessions before school (to help with lessons/study prep) are appreciated and have been utilized successfully. Most importantly, the teaching staff convey a true sense of caring about the success of the children.I've also been very impressed with the use of technology in the district. ParentSquare as a tool for open communication has been fantastic; messages from the school/district/teachers are sent directly to my phone and organized on the app. Infinite Campus shows real-time grades, teacher feedback, calculated averages and report cards. Chromebooks provide a standardized technical resource with strong security to allow students to utilize digital resources in a controlled technical environment. The only reason I'm not giving five stars is that there has been several cases of fights breaking out in the EIMS in a single school year, including some repeat offenders. I appreciate that some measures have been taken to address but these took longer than desired and have not proven to be fully effective yet. I would consider raising my score in 2023-24 if this issue no longer manifests itself in the next school year.

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When my Grandson's Mother & Dog was killed by Car the school came together to shelter him from everything.