Huntington School Briefs
The Huntington School District is now posting on its website (www.hufsd.edu) information on registered sex offenders living in the community that has been provided by the Suffolk Police Department in accordance with Megan's Law. The information can be accessed on the district homepage by going to the Quick Click Bar dropdown screen and selecting Megan's Law Notices.
The New York State Sex Offender Registration Act requires local law enforcement to provide school districts with notification and information about registered sex offenders currently residing within the boundaries of the district. The registry is maintained by the NYS Division of Criminal Justice Services. There are three levels of sex offenders: Level 1 (low risk of repeat offense); Level 2 (moderate risk of repeat offense); Level 3 (high risk of repeat offense and a threat to public safety exists).
The Huntington School District had been sending Megan's Law notices to residents through first class mail at significant annual cost. The new website page will allow residents to view the information sent to the district in one place and save taxpayer monies.
Chamber Music Concert
The Huntington School District's chamber music concert will be held at J. Taylor Finley Middle School on Monday, April 29 at 7 p.m. The community is invited to attend. Admission is free.
Chamber music typically includes only one player on each part, so each student has significant individual responsibility to maintain their part and blend their style of playing with the others in the group. There is no conductor for a chamber ensemble, so typically the lead player in the group has to provide a gesture to indicate the tempo, start and end of the piece.
Legislator Sends BOE Letter
Suffolk County Legislator William R. Spencer recently sent a letter to Huntington School Board President Emily Rogan expressing his "deep concern about the significant risks posed by the use of stimulant drinks by our children. Enough medical evidence has shown that there can be long-term medical harm and even sudden death in certain circumstances just by ingesting these stimulants."
Mr. Spencer, a medical doctor by profession, asked Huntington School Board members for their help. "I am hoping that you, too, will see the seriousness of this issue and consider banning the sale, use and distribution of stimulant drinks on school property at all school sponsored activities," Mr. Spencer wrote. "While we hope that an incident will never take place in our community, we would be negligent if we, as the adults, did not do everything in our power to ensure that the health and safety of our children is protected."
Mr. Spencer need not worry about the Huntington School District. Superintendent James W. Polansky said that neither the district, PTA or the Huntington Booster Club makes these beverages available during school events.
District Reaches out to Congressman
The Huntington School District has applied for a magnet schools assistance program federal grant in the amount of $11,638,664 to help it launch the Jack Abrams STEM Magnet School. If the application is approved, the grant would be distributed over a three-year period, beginning in the 2013/14 school year.
The district has reached out to U.S. Representative Steve Israel for his help. "Any advocacy that you might conduct on our behalf would be greatly appreciated," Superintendent James W. Polansky wrote in a letter to the congressman. "If you would like additional information on our proposal or should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me directly."
BOCES BOE Meeting
The Western Suffolk BOCES Board of Education will hold a public meeting on Tuesday, April 9 at 7:30 p.m. in the administrative office complex located at 507 Deer Park Road in Dix Hills. The Huntington School District is one of 18 component districts that comprise Western Suffolk BOCES.
"Western Suffolk BOCES has an elected board of seven representatives from the 210 square mile area that makes up the western Suffolk County towns of Babylon, Huntington and Smithtown," according to the organization's website. "Board members are elected for three-year terms and are responsible for policy governing Western Suffolk BOCES. The Boards of Cooperative Educational Services were created in 1948 by the New York State Legislature. Today 37 BOCES in New York serve 721 school districts."