Huntington School Briefs
A project to add two additional classrooms to Woodhull Intermediate School is moving right along. The concrete block walls have been construction and furniture for the new space has been ordered. District officials are meeting with the project architect and KEM Construction representatives each week to monitor progress.
The contractor expects to have the classrooms completely enclosed with windows, doors and the roof in place by the end of the month. The project is currently on pace to be completed by the target date of late January 2009.
Oath of Office Administered
New York State Assemblyman James Conte, a Huntington High School graduate (Class of 1977), recently administered the oath of office to the incoming Woodhull Intermediate School student council officers and class representatives.
The group includes Elizabeth Corrao (president), Emma DeGennaro (vice president), Samantha Glicker (secretary) and Olivia Liepa (treasurer). 6th grade class reps: Dylan Wheeler, Max Kaplan, Hillary Hardardt, Joseph Saginaw, Steven Paniagua, and Kelly Beatty; 5th grade reps: Heather Bast, Richard Garger, Tommy Kopstein, Hunter Luckow, Irina DeSimone, Douglas Taylor, Heather DeMartino, and Michael Lonergan and 4th grade reps: John Schaefer, Jacob Strieb, Amanda LoScalzo, Steve Yeh, Jonah Karpman, Caroline Tonks, Sean Paton and Krissia Guevara.
The officers and class reps took their oaths at an assembly of the entire student body in the school gym. Teachers Martha Reilly and Christine Barresi serve as Woodhull’s student council faculty advisors.
Harvard Club Interviews
Huntington High School college counselor Bernadette Walsh and the Harvard Club of Long Island are co-sponsoring applicant interviews for admission to Harvard University on Sat. Jan. 10 at the high school. “This is an excellent opportunity for our school district,” Superintendent John J. Finello said.
Harvard alumni will interview applicants from LI high schools. The event is expected to utilize ten classrooms for the interviews, which will run about one hour in length.
Lori Pyzocha Awarded Tenure
During their meeting Monday night, Huntington School Board members awarded tenure to Huntington High School science teacher Lori Pyzocha, effective Dec. 20. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in biology at St. Michael’s College in Vermont in 1998 and obtained a Master of Science in biology at Adelphi University 2000. She also studied wildlife and ecology at the School for International Training in Africa and holds graduate teacher’s certification from Long Island University – C.W. Post College.
Ms. Pyzocha has worked in Huntington as a science teacher since December 2005. She completed her student teaching requirements in the Half Hollow Hills school district. At the high school she currently heads the district’s science research program and also teaches courses known as Living Environment- Honor’s and Introduction to the Living Environment.
Prior to coming to the district Ms. Pyzocha worked at the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory as a lab technician in the department of neurobiology from 1998 to 2005. In this position she conducted collaborative and independent behavioral and molecular genetic experiments, identifying and characterizing genes involved in learning and memory; maintained the inventory of lab reagents and materials, gained highly developed behavioral genetic and molecular skills such as genomic prep, PCR, digests, primer development, brain histology, lax Z and other staining techniques; trained visiting scientists to perform behavioral analysis and performed website development.
In late 2001, Ms. Pyzocha represented the Cold Spring Harbor Lab as a teacher at Tsinghua University in Beijing, China, lecturing on background material and various techniques, directing the set-up and training of lab technicians on a large-scale forward mutagenesis project and ordering and arranging the shipment of all supplies.
In addition to being proficient in numerous computer software programs, Ms. Pyyzocha has a working knowledge of Swahili, sign-language and Spanish. She has also contributed to several published scientific papers.
This year Ms. Pyzocha is also serving as a faculty advisor for the new Science Honor Society, the Science Club and the Class of 2011.
Assemblyman Turns Teacher
Assemblyman James Conte played the role of teacher during a recent visit to Woodhull Intermediate School. The state lawmaker taught a lesson on government for fifth grade dual language program teacher Cinzia Reeves.
Mr. Conte discussed the three branches of government in Washington, D.C. and Albany and how they relate and impact town residents, including the students themselves. He also showed the popular teaching video, "How an Idea Becomes a Law," which details the legislative process in New York State government.
Finley Oil Tank
A bid to replace the underground fuel oil tank at J. Taylor Finley Middle has been awarded to Environmental Closures, Inc. of New Hyde Park in the amount of $139,790. Three other companies submitted bids ranging from $152,500 to $218,000. The current tank has been in use since Finley opened in 1965.
SEQRA Resolution
Huntington School Board members approved a SEQRA resolution declaring planned work at Southdown Primary School to replace the fire alarm system in the building, a Type II action. The designation signifies that the work will “have no significant impact on the environment and require no further review under SEQRA. Southdown School opened in 1954.
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