Schools Open in Huntington
With the summer vacation officially over, students, faculty and staff are back in classrooms this week and Huntington School District officials said they are confident that everything is in place for an exceptional year.
"It's been a busy summer," Superintendent John J. Finello said. There have been changes in the district's elementary level configuration since classes were last in session. The four primary buildings will now house fourth graders and all fifth and sixth graders will attend Woodhull Intermediate School.
The district's new faculty members participated in orientation activities last week which were designed to help get them off to a fast start. All teachers were required to report to their buildings last Thursday for meetings, but most started arriving days in advance to review class lists, arrange classrooms, organize books and lesson plans and meet with colleagues.
"We're excited to start a new school year," Superintendent John J. Finello said. "The community can take comfort in knowing the district will provide students with an exceptional education in all seven of our buildings. We have a very enthusiastic group of faculty, para-professionals, support staff, club advisors and coaches who are all anxious to get to work."
The buildings and grounds department spent the final days of the vacation in a frantic dash to put finishing touches on each building. The work included polishing hallway floors, delivering boxes of supplies to classrooms, prepping the grounds, painting and setting up cafeteria tables so they are ready to accommodate an influx of about 4,500 students.
Bus drivers have made dry runs through their routes in an effort to discover any potential problems. District officials say there are usually a few snafus with bus pick-ups and drop-offs, but parents can expect them to be handled right way. "We've worked hard to eliminate potential problems in advance," Assistant Superintendent Joseph Giani said. "Parents should call us right away at 673-2032 to report any difficulties."
Sports teams at Huntington High School have been practicing for more than a week. Teams at Finley will kick-off this week. Nurses spent last Thursday organizing their offices and some already began fielding phone calls from parents. Principals have been keeping track of last minute changes to the list of students enrolled in their respective building.
"We expect our teachers and students to quickly get right down to business once they take their places in classrooms," Mr. Finello said. "All of us are committed to ensuring our students have a great experience this year."
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