Huntington School Briefs
Retired Huntington School District metal shop teacher Ed Fellows has passed away. He was 93 years old.
Mr. Fellows graduated by Oswego State College in June 1942 with a BS degree in industrial arts. He earned a master's degree at New York University in June 1951.
Mr. Fellows began working at Robert K. Toaz Junior High School in September 1944. He spent his entire career at Toaz except for the 1975/76 school year, during which he taught metal shop at Robert L. Simpson Junior High School on Main Street.
In addition to his teaching responsibilities, Mr. Fellows served as the head of the industrial arts department from 1962-77. He retired from the district in June 1977 after a 33 year career.
Hundreds of Parents
Hundreds of parents, grandparents and other family members turned out for Washington Primary School's Winter Song Fest in the school gym.
First graders sang If I Could Fly Like A Snowflake, Burn Little Candles and Jolly Old Saint Nick. Second graders performed I Saw Three Ships, S'Vivon and Holly Jolly Christmas. Third graders sang Harambee, Hanukkah Is Here and Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree. Fourth graders performed Dormi, Dormi, Christmas Time of Year, Silver Bells and Light the Candles.
The Washington students worked with music teachers Sue Graber and Pamela Jacovina.
Joanie Balsari Scholarship
The Associated Teachers of Huntington, the professional organization of Huntington School District teachers, has announced that it will sponsor a scholarship in honor of Joan M. Balsari, a Washington Primary School teacher who passed away on October 26, 2011 after a courageous battle with cancer. Mrs. Balsari was a member of Huntington High School's Class of 1968.
The ATH will sponsor a scholarship for the next ten years in the amount of $1,000 per year for Huntington High School students who intend to study teaching in college.
HHS Orchestra Impresses
The Huntington High School orchestra impressed the crowd at last month's winter concert. The concert orchestra, which is comprised of freshmen and sophomores "played very confidently," said Lisa Leonardi, the orchestra director and a Huntington music teacher.
The symphony orchestra strings played five string pieces "very passionately," Ms. Leonardi said. They were joined by freshmen and sophomore strings, as well as the woodwinds, brass and percussionists for the fifth movement of Beethoven's Pastoral Symphony and Rossini's William Tell Overture. "I was extremely proud of their performance of the William Tell Overture," Ms. Leonardi said. "Their energy and skill sparkled as never before!"
Near the concert's conclusion, the symphony orchestra (all ninth through twelfth grade strings, woodwinds, brass and percussion) was joined by the choir, led by teacher Veronica Mainville, for the annual performance of Hallelujah by G. F. Handel. "Quite a few alumni came up to play in the orchestra or sing in the choir," Ms. Leonardi said.
Math Honor Society Induction
Huntington High School's Nathan Hale chapter of Mu Alpha Theta, the national math honor society will hold its annual induction ceremony on Thursday, January 5 at 7:30 p.m. in the school auditorium. A small reception will follow in the main lobby. The public is invited to attend.
BOCES Legislative Roundtable
Western Suffolk BOCES will hold its 14th annual legislative roundtable on Friday, January 20 at its conference center in Wheatley Heights. Western Suffolk superintendents, school board presidents and PTA officials are being invited to the session.
"We will follow the format of previous sessions in hopes of having another candid discussion of how we can weather the weak economy by working together to finance our outstanding educational system," wrote Dr. Michal J. Mensch, Western Suffolk BOCES chief operating officer in a letter to local superintendents.
"Our agenda will be better shaped once the governor's budget is presented, however, we can certainly expect to discuss the constraints placed on school budgets by the two-percent cap and ways we can mutually work towards finding long-term relief from some key cost drivers that would require legislative action to change," Dr. Mensch wrote. "The recent change in the collection of the MTA tax for our schools is a classic example of what we hope to build upon."
Building Use Fees Analyzed
Huntington School District officials are analyzing building use fees assessed to outside groups that request space. The district has acquired information from several surrounding districts and is comparing Huntington's fee structure to that of other systems.
Assistant Superintendent David H. Grackin said "there is a wide range of fees charged." Huntington School Board members have been given the analysis and a future discussion is planned. "Some of our charges are well under market value," Mr. Grackin said.
Alum Gives Birth to Twins
Huntington High School Class of 2005 member Jenna Bergmann Morisco will never forget the recent holidays. She gave birth to twins, with Andrew Cole (6 lbs., 19 ½ inches) coming into the world at 11:53 p.m. on Christmas Eve and Christopher Robyn, Jr. (5 lbs. 15 oz., 19 inches) being born at 1:54 a.m. on Christmas Day. Jenna, a graduate of Five Towns College, and her husband, Christopher Morisco are happy parents.