Sachem High School East’s business law students gained a firsthand look at the Suffolk County court system during a guided tour of the John P. Cohalan, Jr. Court Complex in Central Islip. Students saw inside the courtroom and developed an understanding of the key players including the prosecutor, defense attorney, judge, jurors, court clerk and court officers. Students were able to view the sheriff’s lock-up, holding cells in between the courtrooms and were personally addressed by the judge before arraignments began.

Students gained a full educational experience during the trip through observing criminal arraignments, which provide the accused with a formal reading of the charges. Students witnessed defendants entering a plea and learned about bail or release determinations and appointment of counsel during this initial appearance before the court. 

The trip gave students the opportunity to learn about the different careers and positions there are in the courthouse, as well as information about civil service exams and career pathways.

Date Added: 1/19/2023

The Room for PEACE at Sachem HS East opened last spring and is now in full swing. The space provides students with access to a calm space with chosen, self-directed activities that promote development of coping skills and self-regulation. Recently, students in health classes toured the room.

Students can visit the “Room for Peace” tab on the left column of the Sachem HS East webpage for additional information and to sign up to use the space.

Date Added: 1/18/2023

50 students from Sachem HS East recently visited Tecumseh Elementary School, part of Eastern Suffolk BOCES, for some holiday fun. Members of Student Government, Project Spectrum and the Art and Music Honor Societies sang Christmas carols, participated in arts and crafts, painted faces, played games and served hot chocolate to the elementary students.

Date Added: 1/12/2023

Sachem High School East students are gearing up for the ALS Ride for Life this spring. The student government hosted Christine Pendergast, the wife of ALS Ride for Life founder Chris Pendergast, and Paul Weisman who has been battling the disease for 10 years. The two spoke about ALS, how “the ride” raises awareness and how to focus on hope and kindness in face of life’s many challenges.

On behalf of the student government, Mr. Jannace and Mr. Gallo received Sachem HS East’s third consecutive Gold Participant Award for initiating a school walk to raise money and awareness. The student government will once again carry out a walk with several other Sachem schools in May, ALS Awareness Month.

Date Added: 1/11/2023

At Sachem High School East, ENL students along with their teachers, Mrs. Haik, Mrs. Hornung and Mr. Hinkaty, spoke with students in Mr. Jannace’s Advanced Placement Human Geography classes to help them understand the diffusion of religion and language during their unit on cultural patterns and processes.

Many students easily connect with dialects related to English. However, they must also know that almost all languages have dialects with different accents. Students came to understand that this is often tied to their culture and history.

The students and teachers from the ENL department did an amazing job explaining these differences from their firsthand life experiences. Not only did the lesson teach AP Human Geography students that these patterns and processes are common around the world, it allowed them to collaborate and connect with their peers.

Date Added: 1/6/2023