Washington Primary School Principal Michelle Richards has announced January’s Featured Artists of the Month.
In collaboration with art teacher Maria Mazzola, Washington features one artist from each classroom every month. Now in its third year, the program has generated plenty of excitement among students.
The group includes: Kindergarten: Jaylynn Lamy, Sadia Sanchez Cantillano, Avery Brown and Andy Velasquez Arevalo; First grade: Layne Cranz, Gabriella Zielinski, Behan England and Matthew Rivera; Second grade: William Respass III, Matthew Lima Argueta, Samantha Jimenez Acosta and George Pagano; Third grade: Valerie Alfaro, Michael Grover and Jonathan Sevilla Munguia.
Each of the youngsters was presented with a medal on a red-white and blue ribbon along with a commemorative certificate. Dr. Richards gathered the group together and they all posed for a photo. The award winning artwork is being displayed in the school’s main hallway.
The Huntington School District has long enjoyed a strong art program with outstanding student artists. The highlight of the year is always the annual art show in the Huntington High School gym. The event showcases the top artwork produced by students on every grade level spread across K-12.
This year’s art show is set for Tuesday and Wednesday, May 21-22. The show coincides with the district’s annual budget vote and trustee election. The exhibit will feature artwork ranging from painting, drawing, sculpture, ceramics and computer graphics to advertising, fashion design, photography and video arts.
Admission to the show is free and open to the public. The pieces will include every type of media and showcase the numerous opportunities available to students in fine and computer-generated art studies. The event will also include a fashion show consisting of student clothing designs.
Some of the works on display will carry ribbons of excellence, designating the piece as one of “high merit,” in the opinion of a distinguished panel of judges that will be reviewing the exhibits.
Science Events Coming at STEM School . . .
Thursday, January 24 is shaping up to be a big day at Jack Abrams STEM Magnet School. The fourth grade science fair and the sixth grade invention convention are both on the calendar for that evening.
Contact Principal Donna Moro at dmoro@hufsd.edu for more information about Jack Abrams STEM Magnet School, which enrolls more than 500 students in grades 4-6.
Trustees Set Health Services Rate . . .
Huntington School Board members annually set a rate for health services provided by the Huntington School District to non-resident students attending St. Patrick’s School on Main Street in Huntington village. This year’s rate is $627.424. Huntington bills the home district of each St. Pat’s student at this rate.
The district calculated the rate based on its total expenses for health ($732,163), psychological ($644,632), social work ($286,112) and speech ($1,524,719) services. The $3,187,626 total cost of these services in 2018/19 is then divided by 5,082 students, which equals the combined amount enrollment of the Huntington School District and St. Pat’s. The rate setting process is in accordance with Section 912 of New York State Education Law.
Likewise, Huntington is billed for the health services provided to school age children residing in the Huntington School District who attend private and parochial schools elsewhere.
Trustees approved this year’s health services rate during their public meeting on Monday, December 10 in the Jack Abrams STEM Magnet School auditorium.
Washington School Beautification Committee . . .
The Washington Primary School PTA is forming a new beautification committee. There are plans for it to meet several times during the year to pursue its objectives.
“We are looking to enhance the look of our great school,” states a flyer sent to parents. “New plantings in the fall and spring in the front of the school and a beautiful herb, flower and vegetable garden in the back. These are just a few ideas. We would love to hear more.”
Interested in participating? Send a message to Donna Alberico at donnaalberico@gmail.com.
Next Huntington BOE Meeting . . .
The Huntington UFSD Board of Education will hold its next public meeting on Monday, February 4 at 7:30 p.m. in the Adam Spector Auditorium at Jack Abrams STEM Magnet School on Lowndes Avenue. The meeting’s agenda will be posted online in advance of the session at www.hufsd.edu. There will be two public commentary periods of 30 minutes each. The public is invited to attend the meeting.
School Budget Meetings Scheduled . . .
Huntington School District officials are developing the 2019/20 budget that will fund operations for 4,600 students spread across grades K-12.
The upcoming budget meeting calendar features the following dates and topics:
February 4
- Superintendent’s tax levy limit presentation to Huntington School Board.
February 20
- Working budget presented to Huntington Board of Education.
February 25
- Huntington School Board meeting: Overview of budget for Board of Education, central administration and transportation.
March 11
- Huntington School Board extended budget workshop: Overview of employee benefits, debt service, inter-fund transfer and capital projects
March 25
- Huntington School Board meeting: Overview of instruction and staffing
- Approval of propositions other than the budget to be placed on the ballot.
April 8
- Huntington School Board meeting: Overview of revenues and overall budget review.
April 15
- Huntington School Board meeting: Adoption of budget.
May13
- Public hearing on budget at Jack Abrams STEM Magnet School at 7:30 p.m.
May 21
- Budget vote by residents at Huntington High School from 6 a.m.–9 p.m.
Each of the budget meetings will begin at 7:30 p.m. and be held in the Jack Abrams STEM Magnet School auditorium on Lowndes Avenue in Huntington Station. The public is welcome to attend and will be given an opportunity to address the trustees.