Deidre Rubenstrunk

Just took the #CliftonStrengths assessment—what a powerful tool for understanding how I think, solve problems, and lead with purpose. Here are my Top 5: 📚 Learner 💭 Intellection 🛠️ Restorative 🧩 Arranger ♟️ Strategic #MrsRubyEDU #Leadership #ProfessionalGrowth #Gallup

🗣️ 🗣️ “My words are my voice.” NYS Assembly just passed a Communication Bill of Rights. Hear reactions from nonspeakers. 🎧 🔗 bit.ly/3HiZwUj Let’s make sure every voice is heard - spoken or spelled. #MrsRubyEDU #AssistiveTechnology #NonSpeaking

🚨 Our new Three Village website is LIVE! Fresh design ✅ Faster navigation ✅ Mobile-friendly ✅ Same great schools ✅ Check it out ➡️ threevillagecsd.org #MrsRubyEDU #3VCSD #PatriotPride #3VTech

🇺🇸 Flags flying and sunlight pouring down over Ward Melville this July 4th weekend. Proud to serve as Exec Director of Tech in a district that blends tradition with innovation. #MrsRubyEDU #3VTech #EdTech #July4th

Admin. 2025-26 school year goals: 1) Ask staff how they’re doing 2) Do whatever is needed to help, even small tasks 3) Be present: in classrooms, hallways, cafeteria, lunchroom 4) Value Teachers time (planning, meetings, after school) 5) Support, encourage & inspire them

July 1 = Day 1 ✅ School reconfiguration ✅ Device rollouts ✅ PD planning ✅ Curriculum integration ✅ Employee and data systems prep This is when the foundation gets built. Let’s make it count. 💻📚 #MrsRubyEDU #3VTechnology #EdTech #Leadership #BackToSchoolPrep

June is National Internet Safety Month, dedicated to increasing Americans’ understanding of cyber threats and empowering them to be safer online. We encourage all Americans to implement these 4 tips to keep you cyber safe. 👉 go.dhs.gov/4kY

🎯Kicked off Monday with our instructional tech team. The talent, dedication, and heart in this group is next-level. Always proud to lead a team that powers progress behind the scenes. 💻👏 #MrsRubyEDU #3VTechnology #EdTech #STEM

In honor of Better Speech & Hearing Month, Setauket's speech team led 6th graders in an AAC simulation after watching Out of My Mind. Students used comm boards to complete tasks, building empathy for those with communication challenges.

#3VTech showing out at FETC! @KamiApp

Minnesauke Elementary School was crowned the champion of this year's Emma Cup for having the highest percentage of students sign up for and finish the summer reading challenge through the Emma S. Clark Memorial Library!🏆

Congratulations to the Ward Melville High School Class of 2024!🎓💚💛 📸More photos coming soon

Ward Melville High School senior Sofia Levorchick visited the district’s elementary buildings to read her newly published picture book, “Taylor the Owl Finds a Book.” The book encouraged students to foster a love for literature.

Congratulations to video production student Hannah Kravets, and her teacher Chris Esser, for winning an Official Selection and an Award of Merit in the Depth of Field International Film Festival. Her PSA, titled “Self-Love,” addresses the issue of social media bullying.

3 students were named winners in the Emma Clark Memorial Library 9th annual Kid’s Bookmark Contest. Congratulations to Kelly Yin, Catherine Yin & Mason Oh!📖 Winners have the honor of having their bookmarks professionally printed & distributed at the library throughout the year.

WMHS students were awarded the top three prizes in the second annual Long Island Authors Group Essay Challenge. Congratulations to first-place winner Yumi Jin, second-place winner Stefano Tricoli-Bugen and third-place winner Emma Parrella.

I have witnessed the “libraries are a relic of the past” sentiment for 30+ years, so I’m a bit skeptical when a technologist comes in with bold predictions about the future without understanding how librarians are already two steps ahead. Sorry, but the library is more relevant than ever, especially in an age of AI.

love talking to people who are passionate about different educational strategies, practices, and frameworks. I love seeing people get passionate about different approaches that can help students learn at a deeper level. However, one of my favorite questions to ask different experts is, "What are the limitations, nuances, and exceptions to what you promote?" For example, I might be opposed to homework. However, I might see the value in making homework an optional extracurricular activity or encouraging students to finish work at home if they wasted time in class. I might generally be opposed to standardized testing but I might be fine with students taking a single reading and math test once a year to provide general data at a district or state level as long as it is not tied to teacher salaries or evaluations. Right now, I'm glad to see people get on board with phonics but I also hope that they see the need for background knowledge, language support (especially grammar for multilingual students), and vocabulary. My favorite SOR advocates are the ones who take the time to listen and who are more interested in building than burning bridges. If you've followed me for awhile, you'll know I love project-based learning. But you'll also know that I believe it should be structured with clear benchmarks and guideposts to reduce cognitive load. It should include scaffolds and supports for neurodiverse and multilingual students. I believe in integrating direction instruction into the project. I also don't think that all learning should be PBL. There's a time for systematic approaches with plenty of skill practice. I'm a huge fan of student-centered learning and empowerment. I believe there's power in helping students grow self-directed. But I also realize this often involves taking a Gradual Release of Responsibility approach. I see value in including compliance and engagement rather than just empowerment in the learning. It's nuanced. What I love about the limitations question is that it helps us see the nuances in almost any instructional strategy, learning program, or educational policy. It helps us connect these ideas to our own beliefs and values and to the strategies we are already doing that work. It helps us avoid the pitfalls of finding the latest fad or getting sucked into the educational "wars," such as the math wars or reading wars.

Second graders at Setauket Elementary School designed mini greenhouses for green bean seeds to grow during a joint science and art project ahead of Earth Day.🌱🌎

30 collaborative Google Apps activities for schools 🎨 Virtual art gallery 📓Create a class yearbook 🔐Digital #BreakoutEDU ❓Mystery Hangouts 🏫Group activities in Google Classroom ➕ LOTS more! i.mtr.cool/wqcxupsncj #DitchBook