Huntington School Board Notes
The Huntington School Board approved retirement requests submitted by teachers Eliana Oranges (foreign language, Huntington High School), Kim Damore (physical education, Huntington High School), Patricia Quinn (health, J. Taylor Finley Middle School) and Edward Parry (technology, J. Taylor Finley Middle School) and Director of Fine & Performing Arts Joan Fretz. The retirements are effective at the close of business on June 30.
Trustees authorized Huntington High School special education teacher Jennifer Rommell to return from a child care related leave of absence. Southdown School teacher aide Yesenia Cortes was granted a leave of absence effective January 22 through May 17 so she can complete state student teaching requirements.
Southdown School special education teacher Melissa Goldsborough (through January 25) and Woodhull School librarian (through January 28) were approved for long-term substitute assignments.
Trustees also took the following actions:
• Appointed Glenn Deveau to serve on the district’s security staff, effective January 8. He has been assigned to Huntington High School.
• Appointed Melanie Malusa (drama director), Matthew Harris (stage crew) and Angela Kulewicz as J. Taylor Finley Middle School club advisors.
• Appointed Michael Marchena to the Blue Devil marching band’s winter staff. He will work with the winter guard.
• Appointed Erminia Smith and Heather Swan as the district’s MSG Varsity liaisons.
• Appointed Angela Berner to serve as the Saturday Academy’s program coordinator and Lucy Ann DeChiaro as the program’s secretary.
• Teacher Carly Cerrulli was approved to supervise a teacher assistant at J. Taylor Finley Middle School.
• Appointed teaching staff for the district’s early morning reading program, including: Washington: Jeffrey Dicker and Carol Soskil; Southdown: Megan Himmelman, Heather Colura and Kathleen Thompson; Flower Hill: Donna Marie O’Shaughnessy and Kimberly Giani; Jefferson: Allison Muradyan. The teachers will be paid $48.97 per hour, which is being funded through a state bullet aide grant.
• Authorized Christine Lofaro to engage in up to 12 hours of math curriculum writing.
• Appointed teaching staff for the district’s Saturday Institute for ELA and math for grades 3-8, including: Maria Acevedo, Peristera Alfano, Tina Balducci, Heather Barfuss, Catherine Barth, Christine Barresi, Kelli-Ann Connors, Megan Doyle, Christina Droskoski, Christopher Dugan, Paul Esposito, Lauren Friscenda, Melissa Goldsborough, Eileen Gonzalez, Helen Guarino, Christopher Hender, Katherine Hicks, Amy Hughes, Lisa Karasik, Dorene Karivalis, Stephanie Lerch, Christine Lofaro, Victoria Lombardi, Brendan McGowan, David Moriarty, Melissa Munno, Kimberly Giani, Kimberly Myers-Bender, Danielle Nolan, Patricia Nowack, John Okula, Alexandra O’Leary, Veronica Quinlan, Peter Ravo, Martha Reilly, Erika Sabogal, Kathleen Sambour and Karen Swanson. The teachers will be paid $48.97 per hour for up to three hours during each of the nine program sessions. They will also get paid for two additional hours of training.
• Appointed classroom support staff for the district’s Saturday Institute for ELA and math for grades 3-8, including: Paula Ferraiolo, Anna Naccarato, Donna Blair, Susanne Millner, Victoria Petruzzelli, Laura Lee Thompson, Pina Keane and Patricia Winslow. The classroom support staff members will be paid $23.47 per hour for up to three hours during each of the nine program sessions.
• Authorized Lori Bennett to provide clerical support for the K-2 Saturday Academy. She will be paid $21.81 per hour for up to two hours per week. The total amount of compensation is not to exceed $1,000. The stipend is funded through a Title III LEP grant.
• Approved Natalee Rubcewich and Thomas Kowalski to serve as supervisors at athletic events.
• Authorized Tiffany Cuda, Dana Grace, Thomas Mason, Peter Muneyyirci and Natalee Rubcewich to work as substitute teachers. They will be paid $90 per diem on an as-needed basis.
• Authorized the addition of custodians Michael Caleb and Jim Valentin, nurse Melissa DePierro, teacher aide Gretchen Hannon, security guard Peter Andromanakos and food service workers Jacqueline Germain and Claudia Yanes to the district’s list of substitute employees.
• Approved budget transfers from one code to another to covers costs associated with the repair of damaged pianos and an increase in Suffolk County Music Educators’ Assn. All-County program participation fees and bus fare for a student participating in the All-Eastern music program ($1,000) and for student van fuel expenses that the district is responsible for ($6,909.75).
• Approved special education services contracts with the Half Hollow Hills Central School District, Harborfields Central School District, West Islip Union Free School District and South Huntington Union Free School District.
• Approved a health and welfare services agreement with the West Islip Union Free School District.
• Authorized the disposal of a 1996 Chevrolet pickup truck, a 1996 Chevrolet Suburban and a Diamond dual axle trailer measuring 20’x7. The obsolete items will be placed on the district’s surplus bid list.
• Approved an overnight field trip for a Huntington High School student who will be attending the All-Eastern Music Conference in Hartford, Connecticut on April 4-7.
• Approved a joint municipal cooperative bidding resolution which authorizes natural gas purchases under county contracts by the district.
• Approved a license agreement with RH Theatricals related to the use of The Sound of Music by the Huntington High School drama club.
• Approved the Huntington High School wrestling team’s participation in an overnight field trip so it can participate in a tournament at Albany High School. The Blue Devils will depart from Huntington by bus on Friday, January 25 at 8 p.m. and return following the tournament on Saturday, January 26.