A Day in the Life of Shelter Island School

Here’s another chapter in our continuing series looking at the daily lives of Island institutions.

At 7:30 a.m. on a winter January morning, you could walk down the middle of Bridge Street without encountering a soul. But just up the way, the Shelter Island School is already a beehive of activity. There, a few hundred people of all ages gather to teach, to learn and to support the people teaching and learning. Here’s a day in the life of Shelter Island’s school on January 31, 2025.

7 a.m.

Mike Dunning, head of building and grounds, opens the building, and makes sure the heat is working. Shortly afterward, Lisa Goody, lobby monitor for 20 years, takes her position at the front door reception desk, where she will stay for the rest of the school day, checking in visitors and late students.

7:34 a.m. 

A black SUV pulls up by the back entrance and senior Sebastian Martinez, having had some driving practice, jumps out from the driver’s side, grabs his backpack and heads into the building. His mom pads around to the driver’s side wearing pajama bottoms and a knit cap with a pom-pom on top and drives away.

7:45 to 8 a.m.

A steady stream of cars with moms and dads at the wheel and kids ready for school pull up and drop off. Aides Lindsay Rando and Ana Campos welcome elementary students at the back door and are joined by Athletic Director Todd Gulluscio and Superintendent Brian Doelger, Ed.D.

At the front door, school bus driver Heather Lee delivers her passengers, and begins an inspection of the interior of the bus, explaining, “I have to check for sleeping kids, and to make sure nobody left anything.”

8 a.m.

The intercom system plays classical string music, curated by math teacher Walter Brigham.

8:15 a.m.

In Peter Miedema’s Advanced Placement U.S. History Class the bar is high, and the students on point. A 3-minute quiz is followed by a group discussion, and Mr. Miedema asking if they are ready for the challenge. A brave student walks to the front of the class and reels off all 27 amendments to the U.S. Constitution from memory.

“What the hell!?” says one impressed classmate.

“That was solid!”  says another.

“She’s ready to dominate on multiple fronts,” says Mr. Miedema.

8:50 a.m.

Classical violin floats through the halls, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance and announcements.

9:15 a.m.

It’s math time in Claire Geehreng’s 3rd grade classroom, and while she leads the class in a discussion of which equation on the screen does not belong, students sprawl on a polka-dotted rug. Someone’s water bottle spills. Twice. Ms. Geehreng screws the top on firmly and deploys the paper towels. Workbooks out, the class splits into groups to ponder, discuss and write their answers. A pencil breaks and is replaced.

10:17 a.m.

In the main office, District Clerk Jacki Dunning has been at the hub of it all for 19 years. Today, as every day, her steady and strong organizational presence is a gift. Keith Wildstein, the new chorus teacher, comes in looking for something, and permanent substitute Jasmine Frasco is right behind him. Everyone leaves smiling.

10:30 a.m.

School Nurse Mary Kanarvogel reports that although there have been plenty of stomach aches, so far there has been no norovirus, and that’s a good thing, because kids don’t like other kids throwing up. “We had a kid throw up a couple of weeks ago and three other kids in the class started crying,” Ms. Kanarvogel says. 

10:35 a.m.

Mike Dunning and Greg Sulahian are putting up a shelf in Nurse Mary’s office, a non-invasive maintenance procedure they can complete during school hours. The school was built in four stages starting in 1925 and ending in 1992 and is constantly in need of some repair or other.

11 a.m. The elementary classes begin to enter the lunchroom, and although the meat loaf looks good, pizza is the popular choice today. Thanks to the new cafeteria management company and a new menu, brought to the school by Director of Athletics, Health and Wellness Todd Gulluscio, the days of rectangle pizza are over, and the new chili recipe set to debut soon will erase some bad chili memories of the past. Mr. Gulluscio reports that in September of this school year, almost double the number of kids were eating breakfast and lunch, compared with the prior year.

Kolina Reiter is enjoying her non rectangular pizza. She shares her favorite dessert recipe, which involves pouring a quantity of Sour Patch Kids in a bowl and putting it in the freezer. Nearby, another young diner tells a joke to his tablemates; something involving a bus driver, an apple and a sudden stop. The punch line is “They made applesauce.”

Elsewhere, conversation centers on the tooth fairy, and how often she can be expected to come, given the number of teeth falling out across the Island.

Pamala Wood, the cafeteria supervisor, introduces the new cook, Luis and prep cook, Kate, who are responsible for the meat loaf. It got a thumbs-up from elementary student Archie Theinert, who later told his parents “It tastes beautiful.”

12:10 p.m.

Chris Conrardy’s production systems class is learning to repair things today. A drawer is covered in glue, and a bench sits nearby waiting its turn. Students are currently planning their personal design projects for the semester, and Alexis Bartilucci says she will design and build a dollhouse for her sister.

12:20 p.m.

The same 3rd graders who survived math are now enjoying basketball drills in the gym.

2 p.m.

Jose Montalvo and the custodial maintenance crew of Julieta Santos and Jaqueline Suriel are in the house. They’ll be here until 10 p.m. cleaning and setting up late afternoon or evening events.

2:20-3 p.m.

School’s out! The elementary grades are met by parents at the back door, followed by dismissal of the upper grades at 2:30.

2:30-6 p.m.

Teachers are restoring order to the classrooms, catching up on grading, copying, reading. Sports and after school activities keep students in the building, and there are basketball games from 4 to 6, with Nurse Mary on hand to chaperone.

6-10 p.m.

Mr. Montalvo, Ms. Suriel and Ms. Santos disinfect the entire school as they do every night. “We spray every handle, every door, that’s part of our routine. We want the school to be healthy,” says Mr. Montalvo. “Some of these kids I know since kindergarten.”

10 p.m. The school is ready for another day, and the custodial crew locks the doors and heads home for the night.