Huntington School Briefs
Retired Huntington School District custodian Haywood Blair has passed away. Visitation was held at M.A. Connell Funeral Home with internment at Calverton National Cemetery.
Mr. Blair, whose daughter Donna is a teacher aide at Flower Hill School, was a very well-liked member of Huntington's buildings and grounds staff. He was known for his sharp wit and wonderful sense of humor. Teachers and coaches appreciated his willingness to assist them in any way he could. He earned a stellar reputation among his supervisors and was a very hard worker and exceedingly good at his job.
For many years, one of Mr. Blair's assignments was the Huntington High School wrestling room. He kept the area spotless and thus prevented a countless number of potential skin infections.
"Haywood was one of our best," said Al White, Huntington's director of facilities and a colleague of Mr. Blair's for many years. "He was an excellent worker and a very good man. We will always remember him as a member of our Huntington family."
Balsari Garden Fundraising
Fundraising is well underway for the Joanie Balsari Memory Garden at Washington Primary School. A second grade teacher at the school, Mrs. Balsari passed away October 26 after a dogged battle against breast cancer. Her students and colleagues miss her very much.
The garden will be planted outside the doors to the second grade wing at the school. It will be visible from Whitson Road and will be located along the path that connects the parking field area to the plaza in front of the building.
Mrs. Balsari was a member of Huntington High School's Class of 1968 and was a lifetime resident of the district. "All of us miss seeing Joanie making her way around the building and stopping in our rooms to say hello," said Eric Mininni, a Washington physical education teacher. "She was an irreplaceable member of our faculty team. This new garden will be a wonderful tribute to a special teacher and friend."
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.
Western Suffolk BOCES Meeting
The Western Suffolk BOCES Board of Education will hold a public meeting on Tuesday, February 14 in Building E at the Wilson Technological Center central campus located at 17 Westminster Avenue in Dix Hills at 7:30 p.m. Call 549-4900 or visit www.wsboces.org for more information.
Gift of Land
Roger Tilles, a member of the New York State Board of Regents, has offered to donate a vacant land parcel measuring .17 acre to the Huntington School District. The property is located at the corner of the Huntington High School driveway and Holdsworth Drive. The district needs to secure a title search and title insurance to proceed with the transaction. The cost of these services is not expected to exceed $500.
Dual Language Winter Fiesta
The Huntington School District's dual language program held its annual winter fiesta last Friday evening in the Jack Abrams School cafeteria. The two-hour get-together attracted hundreds of parents and students.
"This traditional reunion gives the DL parents the opportunity to meet DL families from the other schools," said Carmen Kasper, the district's director of foreign language, ESL and bilingual programs. "The first year DL parents get to hear from the veteran DL families about all the different exciting experiences their children have had through the years in the program."
Superintendent James W. Polansky was among those attending the affair, which included plenty of food and entertainment, too. "This has always been an enjoyable family night for all," Ms. Kasper said.