Huntington School Briefs
Second and third graders in the Huntington School District are in for a real treat. The youngsters will travel from their schools to the Huntington High School auditorium on Tuesday, February 23 for a professional puppet show of Aesop’s Fables by Jim West.
Parents are welcome to attend the production, which is presented by Theatreworks. Parents should sit in the back seating section of the auditorium. Photographs are not permitted during the production. The district’s Arts-in-Education program is sponsoring the event.
Safe and Drug Free Schools Grant
The State Education Department has informed the Huntington School District that the Title IV Safe and Drug Free Schools Grant “will cease to exist as of the 2010/11 fiscal year,” said Assistant Superintendent David H. Grackin.
“In 2009/10 we received $17,666, the majority of which was used to support peer mediation efforts at Huntington High School and Finley Middle School, Natural Helpers at the high school, funding of Rachel’s Challenge and a bully prevention program at St. Patrick’s School,” Mr. Grackin said.
District Mobilizes
The earthquake that struck Haiti has mobilized people around the world, including in the Huntington School District, where officials quickly responded. “The clinical staff in our district, school psychologist, social workers and guidance counselors met on January 20th with Dr. Franz Moise, M.D. to debrief regarding the needs identified in response to the tragic earthquake,” said Dr. Vicki Mingin, executive director of special education and student support services.
“Our clinical team discussed supports that have been put in place to assist staff, students and parents thus far,” Ms. Mingin said. “We shared and reviewed steps we will take during the next five months of school to provide the sustained and ongoing support for the students, staff and families in our community. The team reviewed that we all process tragic events differently and that what is critically important for our community to know right now is that if anyone wants or needs to talk about this or other related concerns to understand that there is a place to do so at school.”
Band Donation
Huntington High School band director Jason Giachetti has donated four dozen pairs of percussion mallets to the program. The items are valued at $375.
Schools Closed but Offices Open
Schools will be closed from February 15-19 but Huntington School District offices will be open on Tuesday through Friday of that week. (The offices are closed on Monday, February 15 in observance of President’s Day.) The central administrative offices are located in the lower level north wing at Jack Abrams Intermediate School. The entrance and a dedicated parking lot are on Tower Street.
Purchasing Freeze
The Huntington School District is moving ahead with plans to institute a purchasing freeze effective February 1. “After that date, only purchase orders which represent emergencies will be considered,” Assistant Superintendent David H. Grackin said. The emergency purchase orders will need to be approved by either Superintendent John J. Finello or Mr. Grackin.
College Acceptance Letters
College acceptance letters have started appearing in the mailboxes of Huntington High School seniors, including Thomas Monks (Babson College, Boston College, Villanova Univ.), Megan Smith (Coastal Carolina Univ., Univ. of North Carolina-Greensboro), Molly Smith (Coastal Carolina Univ., East Carolina Univ., Louisiana State Univ., Univ. of Alabama, Univ. of Mississippi, Univ. of North Carolina-Greensboro, West Virginia Univ.), Lindsay Magerle (College of St. Rose, Post Univ., Robert Morris Univ.), Alexandra Kimchy (Cornell Univ.), Caitlin Etri (Cornell Univ.), Kyra Kiesel (Dowling College, St. Bonaventure Univ., St. Thomas Aquinas College), Johanna Clifford (Drexel Univ., Mount Saint Mary’s Univ.), Greg Meyers (Drexel Univ., SUNY Oneonta, Rowan Univ.) Catherine Tacopina (Drexel Univ., SUNY New Paltz, Univ. of Scranton), Andrea Meyer (Indiana Univ., SUNY Albany, Univ. of Massachusetts-Amherst), Elizabeth DeMaio (Iona College, Siena College, SUNY New Paltz), Greg Nigro (North Carolina State Univ., SUNY College of Environmental Science & Forestry, Univ. of Masschusetts-Amherst, Univ. of Scranton), Samson Widerman (Penn State Univ.), Stasa Doscas (Purdue Univ., Savannah College of Art & Design), Karly Kocis (St. Bonaventure Univ.), Renna Wirchin (Salisbury Univ., SUNY Albany, SUNY Oneonta) and Zach Teplin (School of the Art Institute of Chicago).
Also receiving acceptance letters were Joselin Rodriquez (St. John’s Univ.), Michaela Acton (Fordham Univ., Siena College, Tulane Univ.), Peter Wagner (Fordham Univ., Northeastern Univ., Washington College), Ester Kum (Gordon College), Casey Singer (Indiana Univ., Ithaca College, Univ. of Arizona), Daniel Smith (St. Joseph’s Univ., Univ. of Scranton), Amanda Wilson (SUNY Albany), Morgan Brown (SUNY Buffalo, SUNY Potsdam), Brian Connell (SUNY Farmingdale), Brittany Pucci-Schmitz (SUNY Farmingdale), Matthew Rubin (SUNY Geneseo, SUNY Oneonta), Elaine Long (SUNY New Paltz), Lauren Campbell (SUNY New Paltz, Villanova Univ.), Sara Lustberg (Tulane Univ.), Ciera Thompson (Univ. of Hartford), Jeremy Rhodes (Villanova Univ.), Jacob Goldsztejn (Univ. of Tampa), Jenna Wallshein (Univ. of Vermont), Tatiana DiPaola (Univ. of Vermont) and Anthony Kouttron (Worchester Polytechnic Institute.
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