Two veteran administrators in the district have moved into new roles. Edward Plaia has been named the principal of Amityville Memorial High School and Earl Mitchell has assumed the role of principal at Edmund W. Miles Middle School.

Mr. Plaia taught social studies at Amityville Memorial High School from 2000 to 2007. After a stint as an assistant principal and principal in the William Floyd School District, he rejoined Amityville as middle school principal in 2014, serving in that role for five years. 

“The high school is where I spent half my career teaching, before going into the leadership ranks,” Mr. Plaia said. “It's where I learned about kids, community, teaching and learning. The high school shaped me as an educator, as a leader, as a human being. Aside from my family, I am who I am because of Amityville Memorial High School.”

Mr. Mitchell, an educator for 20 years, came to the district in 2015 after working as a social studies teacher and department chairman at Baldwin Middle School. He was the dean of students at Edmund W. Miles Middle School for three years and last year served as assistant principal.

“I am honored to have the opportunity to serve the Edmund W. Miles Middle School and Amityville community,” Mr. Mitchell said. “To serve and to teach are gifts, and my challenge is to both with excellence and consistency every day.”

The Amityville Memorial High School marching band will pay tribute to notable British rock band Queen for its 2019 show. At the four-day marching band camp during the last week of August, student musicians practiced the music and choreography.

Featured in this year’s show will be three Queen songs, “Bohemian Rhapsody,” “Crazy Little Thing Called Love” and “We are the Champions.” It will be performed at all home football games, including the Homecoming halftime show, and at the Newsday Marching Band Festival in October.

Band director Jolene Maccarone was joined by elementary music teacher Megan Ashe in helping students prepare for the show along with two Amityville music alumni, Shiloh Bennett and Jose Coto. This year’s student drum majors are Bryan Canales, Tatiana Escolero and Karyn Franklin. The musicians practiced both by instrument section and as a full group during the camp.