Huntington School Briefs
The Washington Primary School PTA is holding a pasta dinner this Friday night (April 19) in the school gym. The meal will include pasta, salad, bread and refreshments. There will also be musical entertainment throughout the evening, including performances by some of Washington's own teachers and students. About 300 tickets have been sold for dinner. Seatings are scheduled for 5:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. Proceeds will benefit the PTA and support its initiatives.
HHS Trip to China
Huntington High School's first student trip to China is planned for July 11-22. Students will accompany social studies teachers Joseph Leavy and Jordan Gould on the journey, which will include a home stay in Tianjin and sightseeing around Beijing. Sights on the trip will include Mao's tomb, the Great Wall of China and Tiananmen Square.
Huntington students and teachers on the trip will spend time with students at Tianjin Yi-Jung high school who visited Huntington High School in January 2012. The two groups will engage in workshop sessions.
There are limited slots available for students interesting in joining the group making the trip. Contact Mr. Levy at jleavy@hufsd.edu or (631) 673-2079 for more information.
Joan Fretz Retirement Party
A retirement party in honor of Huntington School District Director of Fine and Performing Arts Joan R. Fretz is planned for Wednesday, June 19 at 5:30 p.m. at the Head of the Bay Club in Huntington Bay.
Mrs. Fretz is retiring at the end of the school year after a long career in the district. There event will include a buffet dinner, live music and a cash bar. Tickets are priced at $60, which includes a contribution toward a gift.
The affair will utilize both indoor and outdoor areas overlooking Huntington Bay. Several speakers are expected to offer their reminiscences of Mrs. Fretz's long tenure in the district.
To secure a ticket, send a check payable to "Janet O'Neil to Huntington High School Music Office, Oakwood and McKay Roads, Huntington, NY 11743. Tickets will be sold through June 5.
Leave Replacement School Psychologist Appointed
Huntington School Board members Sumitra Sra has been appointed to serve as a long-term leave replacement school psychologist at Huntington High School.
Ms. Sra earned undergraduate and graduate degrees in psychology at New York University in 2001 and 2004, respectively. She obtained an MS with distinction in school community psychology at Hofstra University in 2008 and a certificate of advanced study in school community psychology at Hofstra in 2010.
Ms. Sra earned a doctorate in psychology at Hofstra in December 2011. She has been a psychology intern at Hofstra, Huntington High School and Melillo Center Outpatient Clinic for Mental Health. She has worked at East End Psychological Services as a leave replacement psychologist in Half Hollow Hills and as executive director of Psychological Wellness of New York.
Huntington School District officials reviewed 36 applications, pre-screened eight candidates and conducted four personal interviews before recommending Ms. Sra for appointment.
Washington Way Leadership Team
The Washington Way Leadership Team is up and running. It was created to help develop strong leadership skills in its members. The group will be participating in various school and community outreach activities during the remainder of the school year, which will allow students to utilize what they have learned. Team members consist of fourth grade students who have volunteered to give up their recess time at least twice each month.
BOCES Budget Impact on Huntington
Western Suffolk BOCES assesses an administrative charge on each of its component districts. The charge for 2013/14 is set to rise 2.4 percent. "This is equal to the average of the tax levy increases for our 18 Western Suffolk BOCES districts in 2012/13," said Michael J. Mensch, the organization's chief operating officer, in a letter to Huntington Superintendent James W. Polansky. The capital charges Western Suffolk BOCES assesses districts will be frozen for the third consecutive year.
Huntington's share of these Western Suffolk BOCES charges will increase $4,223 in 2013/14. "The combined charges are distributed across our 18 school districts based on a three-year weighted average of each home district's student attendance compared to the other 17 districts," Dr. Mensch wrote.
LI's Best Young Artists Closing Concert & Celebration
The closing concert and celebration for the Long Island's Best Young Artists at the Heckscher Museum is scheduled for Sunday, April 21 from 3-5 p.m. It is free and open to the public.
Huntington High School students Andrea Cerini, Brian McConnell, Julianna Barca, Ben Nikodem and Nina Flores are among an elite group of 80 teenagers from Nassau and Suffolk to have their works chosen for display at this year's exhibition. Teachers from more than three dozen Long Island public and private high schools nominated the work of 288 gifted students.
Ms. Cerini's work on display earned the senior an Achievement Award in Digital Media along with the Renzo S. Bianchi Scholarship Award.
Washington School Variety Show
The Washington Primary School PTA will hold its annual variety show on Friday, May 10 at 7 p.m. in the Huntington High School auditorium. Students can lip sync, play instruments, sing, dance, recite poems, perform a comedy routine or display whatever other talent that might wish to showcase.
This year's group finale will be "Don't Stop the Party/Gangnam Style. Students who are interesting in participating in the show, but are too shy to perform alone are welcome to join in for the finale.
Contact Michele Sabatino at philsab@optonline.net or Kristin Kanzer at (631) 673-6861 for more information.
HHS Librarian Re-Elected
Huntington High School librarian Patricia Dillon has been re-elected to a five-year term on the South Huntington Public Library board of trustees. Mrs. Dillon earlier served four three-year terms on the South Huntington School District board of education from July 1, 1994 through June 30, 2006.
Parent University on April 22
The Huntington School District's District-wide Shared Decision-Making Advisory Committee and the Huntington Council of PTAs will hold a Parent University session on Monday, April 22 at 7 p.m. in the Huntington High School cafeteria. All district parents are invited to attend.
The evening's topic will focus on the Common Core learning standards in English language arts and math. The workshop will answer the frequently asked parent question: How can I help my child succeed?
An adjoining book fair will include volumes from Scholastic and Barnes & Noble. Refreshments will be served. Contact Dr. Kenneth A. Card, Jr., assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction at kcard@hufsd.edu or (631) 673-2036 for more information.
College Office Update
The Huntington High School College Office has processed 2,025 college applications for 277 students this year. Last year it processed 1,474 applications for 229 students and in 2011 processed 1,482 for 242 students.