Celebrating a school expansion to accommodate next year's full day kindergarten program, Saltzman East Memorial Elementary School held a groundbreaking ceremony on Wednesday, Nov. 22.

The ceremony was the second in an expected five to take place in the Farmingdale school district to celebrate ongoing construction. Among the schools expected to conduct groundbreakings, Albany Avenue was the first when they hosted theirs on Nov. 17.

Among those in attendance to celebrate the event were Superintendent of schools Gerard Dempsey, Assistant Superintendent Dr. Robert Schultz, Assistant Superintendent Barbara Horsley, Board of Education President Anthony Vitale, Board of Education members Philip Acinapuro and Tina Diamond, and Ed Cullen, who is in charge of the operation to construct the school's expansion.

Saltzman East Memorial Principal Eve Dieringer reminisced to the entire school of students who lined up outside the construction site that "nearly 40 years ago, ground was broken here to build a new school for Farmingdale students. Through the years, we have undergone a few changes. The bricks and mortar that began Mill Lane changed to East Memorial at Mill Lane and now Stanley D. Saltzman East Memorial. I think as I stand here how proud Mr. Saltzman and Dr. Gary Karp would be to see the dream realized for our expansion and full day kindergarten program," she said.

"The pledge to the community has remained constant; those of us who are entrusted with your children, will nurture and educate. We will keep them safe. We will prepare them for their futures. We will guide, support, and mentor them as they become readers, writers and thinkers," Dieringer added.

At the event, a sixth grade Horizons group led by teacher JeanMarie Papillo shared a piece they composed especially celebrating the expansion of the school to accommodate full day kindergarten. The sixth graders partnered with a current half day kindergartner to read "The Gate is Opening to Our Future."

The ceremony closed with a choral selection entitled "We are the Future of America," which students from Mr. August's, Mrs. Gaghan's, Ms. Hammond's, and Ms. Lamonte's sixth-grade classes performed under the direction of chorus teacher Claire Zatorski.

The construction at Saltzman East Memorial is one of the projects included in the Bond Proposal, approved last year by the Farmingdale community. The district-wide construction will bring improvements to all six of the Farmingdale schools.