The 705 seventh and eighth graders at J. Taylor Finley Middle School are off to a great start to the 2018/19 school year.
“At Finley Middle School we have purposely created a student-centered environment that is academically challenging, psychologically satisfying, and socially fulfilling,” Principal John Amato said. “Because the adolescent period is an extremely important phase in each youngster’s development, the middle school plays a vital role in helping each student blossom into an independent and well-educated person.”
Finley has been serving the community since September 1965. During its long history, it has also educated sixth graders and ninth graders. Today, all Huntington UFSD seventh and eighth graders attend the school. The building named in honor of a longtime district teacher and administrator who also lived in the community.
“We rely on our excellent staff to ease our students into and to guide our students through this very critical transition from intermediate school to middle school,” Mr. Amato said. “We are aware of the importance of a close teacher-student relationship and of teacher-parent contacts. We foster growth in the ability of students to make decisions and to work independently. We utilize a humanistic approach as we encourage and challenge our students to set realistic and attainable standards of academic performance and social interaction.”
Finley also offers students full music, art and athletics programs along with after school clubs, including student government activities and a National Junior Honor Society chapter.
“We have developed a program to build upon and to emphasize the strong foundation of skills the student has acquired at the elementary school and intermediate levels, to pursue further the many different academic areas, to explore the creative and aesthetic areas of the fine and practical arts, to expand the awareness of career possibilities, and to cultivate lifelong physical and recreational skills,” Mr. Amato said. “Flexibility, individualization and enrichment characterize the wide range of middle school experience.”
Contact Mr. Amato (jamato@hufsd.edu) for more information about Finley’s program.