Huntington School Briefs
Barbara Brush Donaldson, a member of Huntington High School's Class of 1943, has passed away peacefully on January 30. She was 86 years old.
When Mrs. Donaldson attended high school, the building was located on Main Street in what is now Town Hall, the athletic teams utilized Heckscher Park for practices and games and Friday night bonfires in the fall.
Following high school, Mrs. Donaldson obtained a degree at Russell Sage College in Upstate Troy, New York. She was described by her family as a "lovable character."
Mrs. Donaldson was residing in Lloyd Harbor at the time of her death. She is survived by three daughters and two grandsons. She was predeceased by her husband, James.
Trustees Approve Contract for Audit Services
Huntington School Board members have unanimously approved a contract with the certified public accounting firm Cullen & Danowski, LLP to provide auditing services during the 2011/12 school year covering each major district fund, financial statements of the governmental activities of the district and the district's fiduciary funds. The service will include an analysis of internal controls and adherence to established procedures. The firm will receive a fee of $42,900 for the services it renders.
Search Underway for Administrators
The search has begun for a Jefferson Primary School principal and Huntington High School assistant principal. Jefferson Principal Margaret Evers and Huntington Assistant Principal Angelo Noce are retiring at the close of the school year. Applications for the two positions are being accepted through March 12. Interested parties are asked to apply by logging onto www.olasjobs.org and following all the prompts.
Western Suffolk BOCES BOE Meeting
The Western Suffolk BOCES Board of Education will hold a public meeting on Tuesday, March 13 at 7:30 p.m. The session will be held in the large conference room of the administrative offices of Western Suffolk BOCES located at 507 Deer Park Road in Dix Hills. The public is invited to attend.
Joan Balsari Memory Garden Campaign
Plans for a garden in memory of Washington Primary School second grade teacher Joan Marie Balsari continue to move full-speed ahead. Organizers have already collected $1,100 in donations and hope to reach $3,000. Mrs. Balsari passed away last October after a gallant 17-month battle with breast cancer.
Bill Ahern, a Huntington High School graduate and owner of Ahern's Landscape Design Center in Huntington Station has developed a schematic that details his proposal for placement of various trees, shrubs and plants stretching from on either side of the entrance to the building's second grade wing to along the plaza in front of school's main entrance.
Mr. Ahern has agreed to supply the labor, site prep, topsoil and mulch at no charge. A garden area filled with hardy and colorful vegetation is anticipated.
Those wishing to contribute to the Joanie Balsari Memory Garden fundraising campaign can send a check payable to "Washington PTA" by March 20 to Washington Primary School, 78 Whitson Road, Huntington Station, NY 11746. Call 673-2090 for more information.
Part-time Teacher Appointed
Nube Crimi has been appointed a part-time ESL leave replacement teacher at J. Taylor Finley Middle School. The appointment is effective through the end of the school year.
Ms. Crimi holds a BA degree in psychology from St. John's University. She obtained a master's degree in education and teaching English to speakers of other languages in 2001 from the College of New Jersey.
Prior to coming to Huntington, Ms. Crimi worked as an ESL/Spanish teacher at Frank Sansivieri Middle School in Queens, as a classroom teacher of grades 6-8 at ALSCON International School in Nigeria, as a Spanish teacher (grades 6-7) at Karachi American School in Pakistan, as a first grade teacher at Park Avenue School in Westbury, as an ESL teacher at Copiague High School and as a Spanish teacher at Love of Learning Montessori School in Centerport.
Huntington officials reviewed 67 applications, pre-screened 14 candidates and conducted eight interviews before recommending Ms. Crimi for appointment.
Next BOE Meeting
The next public meeting of the Huntington School Board will be held on Monday, March 19 at 7:30 p.m. in the Jack Abrams School auditorium. All community residents are invited to attend.
Trustees will conduct regular business as well as continuing their review of the draft budget to fund district operations in the 2012/13 school year. The budget areas concerning employee benefits, debt service, fund transfers and capital spending will be the focus of the evening's presentation.
A copy of the meeting agenda and agenda items will be posted on the district's website (www.hufsd.edu) in the days leading up to March 19 meeting.