Ashley Bloch, an eighth-grade science teacher at Islip Middle School, has been selected as middle-level Science Teacher of the Year for the Suffolk County section of the Science Teachers Association of New York State. She was honored at a reception on May 23 at the Islandia Marriot.

“On behalf of myself and the entire Middle School, I congratulate Ms. Bloch for this outstanding achievement. It is well-deserved,” remarked Assistant Principal Chad Walerstein.

Additionally, Ms. Bloch was recognized by the Brookhaven National Lab (BNL), along with two of her colleagues, for their work in the Open Space Stewardship Program. She also wrote a proposal to BNL to use their NSLS (National Synchronization Light Source). The proposal examined the issue of how unfiltered tap water at the Islip Middle School compared to the same water when filtered. This proposal was selected for beam time on the NSLS. Ms. Bloch’s was the only middle school proposal to ever be honored.