East Islip Middle School’s pond has been beautifully restored into a serene home for wildlife, student art and hands-on science learning, thanks to the dedicated efforts of longtime EIMS science teacher Ray Lang, the generosity of alumni-owned partner Ron Gibbons Pools and the continued support of the district’s For the Kids Foundation.

Lang began his East Islip teaching career in 1996, and currently teaches seventh- and eighth-grade science, including Regents Living Environment and life science classes. The history of the pond dates back over two decades ago, to the days when the school was still known as Islip Terrace Junior High School. Lang and then-Principal Bruce Castka developed the idea to enhance the school’s new science rooms with a useful outdoor space. 

“We wanted to create an ecosystem where kids could walk outside the classroom and learn so many different concepts through biology,” Lang said.
With the support of then-Superintendent Dennis Maloney, a grant was obtained and the original pond was completed in 2005 by Ron Gibbons Pools along with other donors. In subsequent years, however, the pond sadly fell into disrepair. Lang, who is retiring soon, decided to make it his primary goal before he leaves to see that the pond was rebuilt for the generations of students to come. 

The restoration project took root when Lang and Gibbons reached out to each other a couple of years ago with similar thoughts on the pond’s future. Logistics were planned, and the pool company donated their labor and the materials over the summer, completing work at the end of August on a magnificent installation with far superior technology to the original. As in the past, the pond offers numerous applications for student science learning.

“Having a pond, it’s almost endless what you can do with the biology curriculum, from balancing an ecosystem to learning about photosynthesis, respiration, reproduction and how animals interact with the environment,” Lang said. “My students learn how it’s a very balanced and delicate system, and if you add pollution and other negative things to it, it could collapse fast. It’s an artificial ecosystem, but we want it to balance naturally. It was my vision 20 years ago to have this pond, and now to see it come back again is very rewarding. It’s something we can leave East Islip’s kids 20 years into the future.”