Huntington School Briefs
The Huntington High School drama club will perform The Sound of Music on Friday and Saturday, April 12-13. Shows are set for 7:30 p.m. both nights with a 2 p.m. Saturday matinee.
The drama club is under the direction of faculty advisor Michael Schwendemann, who is excited about the spring show. The musical takes place in Austria, early in 1938.
"The final collaboration between Rodgers and Hammerstein was destined to become the world's most beloved musical," according to an official synopsis of the show. "When a postulant proves too high-spirited for the religious life, she is dispatched to serve as governess for the seven children of a widowed naval captain. Her growing rapport with the youngsters, coupled with her generosity of spirit, gradually captures the heart of the stern captain and they marry. Upon returning from their honeymoon they discover that Austria has been invaded by the Nazis, who demand the captain's immediate service in their navy. The family's narrow escape over the mountains to Switzerland on the eve of World War II provides one of the most thrilling and inspirational finales ever presented in theatre. The motion picture version remains the most popular movie musical of all time."
BOE Accepts Generous Donations
Huntington School Board members approved the acceptance of three generous donations to the district during a public meeting of the trustees this past Monday night at Jack Abrams School.
The Palacios family donated 15 brand new wrestling singlets for use by the Blue Devil varsity wrestling team. The donation is valued at $1,000.
The Flower Hill PTA donated a SMART Board and an Optoma TX 542 projector to Flower Hill School. The equipment was purchased with the proceeds from the Scholastic Book Fair held at the school this past December.
Flower Hill School parents Chuck and Dana Forte donated asphalt and labor to repair, pave and paint the outdoor basketball court at the school. The value of the donation is estimated at $3,000.
Strings Musicians Visit Hospital
Huntington High School strings musicians Jennifer Polster, Hailey Giordano, Melanie Grossman and Adelia Witt performed during a visit to the Huntington Hospital oncology unit during the holiday season, bringing a little bit of joy to patients and medical personnel. The group was joined by music teacher and orchestra director Lisa Leonardi, who played right along with the group.
STEM Magnet School Update
Huntington Superintendent James W. Polansky said as of last Friday, 224 district elementary school parents with children in grades 1-4 have expressed interest in learning more about the potential creation of a STEM magnet school at Jack Abrams School.
The district sent parents an interest survey in January. The parents of Huntington School District residents attending St. Patrick's School were also sent surveys and several have expressed interest in the STEM magnet school.
Mr. Polansky has been visiting district elementary schools to discuss the STEM magnet initiative with teachers and principals and to introduce a potential timeline for establishment of the program.
All academic disciplines would be taught in the STEM school, however, the curriculum would be centered upon science, technology, engineering and mathematics, with a focus on inquiry based instructional strategies. It would operate as a magnet school without any attendance zone boundaries in the district.
Parents and guardians of any student currently enrolled in grades 1-4 who might be interested in the STEM program for their respective child are invited to express such interest by sending an e-mail to HUFSDStemMagnet@hufsd.edu. Interested parties should include their name and their child's name, school and current grade level.
Cinderella on the Finley Stage
The J. Taylor Finley Middle School drama club will perform the musical Cinderella on Friday and Saturday, March 15-16 in the school's large group instruction room, the formal name of the building's auditorium. The curtain will go up at 7:30 p.m. for both performances.
Mid-Winter Concerts
The Southdown/Jefferson Primary Schools' winter concert will be held on Thursday, February 7. The Flower Hill/Washington Primary Schools' winter concert is scheduled for Tuesday, February 12. Huntington High School's mid-winter concert is set for Wednesday, February 13. All of the concerts will be held in the Huntington High School auditorium beginning at 7:30 p.m.
The J. Taylor Finley Middle School honors ensemble concert is slated for Thursday, March 7 at 7:30 p.m. in the Huntington High School auditorium.
The concerts are free and open to all district residents.