Three Chatterton students were recently selected as winners in the Town of Hempstead Recycling Poster Contest.

Alyssa G. (third place, upper grades), Mia Z. (second place, lower grades), and Andi R. (third place, lower grades) each won prizes and were honored at an April 25 ceremony at the Norman J. Levy Park and Preserve in Merrick.

“This year’s contest received an incredible number of creative and thoughtful submissions from students across the town(ship), all aimed at raising awareness about the importance of recycling and sustainability,” noted Maureen Early, a lead community affairs specialist for Reworld, who helped sponsor the contest.

Magnetic replicas of their posters were placed on Town of Hempstead garbage trucks, so be on the lookout!

Date Added: 5/6/2025

Chatterton's annual Art Show was held on April 24, bringing to life art pieces such as Tim Burton dreams, mouthwatering realistic food sculptures, and vibrant Día de los Muertos skeletons.  

Teacher Justine Dujardin organized the display, which featured artwork in various mediums by the school’s many talented students. 

 
Click here to view the Chatterton Displays Student Works at Art Show slideshow.

Date Added: 4/25/2025

Months of dedication, early morning preparation, and big ideas all led up to one big moment for fifth and sixth graders at Chatterton School. 

Students took to the stage on March 28 with the goal of inspiring peers with their passion, creativity, and confidence.  

TED-Ed isa TED education initiative that offers a platform for teachers and students to discover and create custom lessons around TED-Ed animations, TED Talks, and other online videos. It fosters learning and the sharing of ideas through TED-style presentations. 

Click here to view the Chatterton Students Deliver TED-Ed Talks slideshow.

Date Added: 4/3/2025

At Chatterton, Ms. Pikowsky, Mrs. Scavelli, and Mrs. Maloney joined their classes together and paired up their students to create sweet little book buddy teams. 

Click here to view the Chatterton Student Pair Up as Book Buddies slideshow.

Date Added: 3/28/2025

The Chatterton on Stage program is set to perform “Beauty & the Beast, Jr.” on March 26-27.

Fifth and sixth-grade cast members have been preparing for their roles in the school’s self-sustaining, annual theatrical production for months. After auditioning in early November, students have been rehearsing twice per week.

“The cast is responsible for learning and practicing their lines, blocking, and choreography,” noted Shira Voulgarakis, a reading interventionist at Chatterton who also serves as director of the Chatterton on Stage program. “They also so work to get to know their characters and understand the motivations behind their actions. This helps them approach their roles in a more well-rounded way and helps them act accordingly.”

In addition to Voulgarakis, Michael Schwartz, a music teacher from Locust Valley School District, and Voulgarakis’ sister, Loni Panos-Stein, assist in the production.

While a polished production is one objective for the finish line of Chatterton on Stage, there are more life skills to be gained for students.

“My biggest goal is for the students who participate, is to leave the program more confident and with a stronger, more empathetic perspective about the world,” Voulgarakis said.

Photo captions:

Juliet and Eliana play the Teapot and Cup.

Daniella plays Babette.

Jack and Mia, play Beast and Belle.

Hillary, Valentina, and Madelyn play villagers.

Noah, Owen, James, and Elliott.

Shira Voulgarakis, a reading interventionist at Chatterton also serves as director of the Chatterton on Stage program (center) with cast members.

Click here to view the Chatterton on Stage Performs “Beauty & the Beast, Jr.” slideshow.

Photos courtesy of the Merrick Union Free School District.

A little rain couldn’t dampen the Chatterton School spirit as they celebrated International Day of Happiness celebrated on March 20.

At the start of the day, all classrooms surprised their students with a morning of play.

“Each class set up board games, puzzles, Legos, pretend play, arts and crafts and more,” explained Principal Dana Bermas.

They then pivoted from decorating the sidewalks outside of the building to creating their artful messages inside on giant rolls of chalkboard paper. Students used chalk to craft positive words and images on signs that will be later displayed in the school.

Additionally, at the start of the day, all classrooms surprised their students with a morning of play.

“The goal of the day was to promote positive social development through social interaction and communication, reduce stress and increase emotional regulation through opportunities for play, as well as fostering students’ critical thinking skills and creativity,” Bermas added.

Click here to view the Chatterton Paves Path of Positivity on Happiness Day slideshow.

Date Added: 3/20/2025