The J. Taylor Finley Middle School’s “blue zone” has a new face this year. The school store has been relocated to elsewhere in the building and the four foot tall winding cement block wall that ran down the center of the space has been dismantled. A large “L” shaped high desk has also been removed.
The makeover for the large area, which essentially serves as the building’s main lobby continues. A small set of furniture has been placed in the center of the space for students to enjoy while they socialize. More furniture is on the way after the Finley PTA donated $1,250 to purchase sofas and chairs.
Finley Principal Traci Roethel is striving to fully utilize the “blue zone” area to the benefit of students. By installing seating she is hopeful the seventh and eighth graders will be able to use the space to socialize with each other and enjoy the large area more than they have in past years.
Blue Devil Marching Band Decompressing
Members of the Huntington Blue Devil marching band are still decompressing after concluding the competitive season with a fifth place finish at the New York State Field Band Conference championships in Syracuse.
“We had a great season with a lot of excellent new members,” said senior Oskar Kilgour, who was a leader with the percussion section. “I’m happy to say that my last season in the band was fund and memorable. It was a great percussion section this year!”
Highsteppers Approved for Trip to Nationals
The Huntington Highsteppers, the high school’s competitive dance team is planning a trip to the Dance Team Union Nationals in Orlando, Florida.
Huntington School Board members approved the trip during a recent public meeting. The group will depart from LaGuardia Airport on Wednesday, February 19 and return on Monday, February 24. Highsteppers’ coaches Stacey Ambrosio and Jessica Harris will be leading the team on the trip. Three other chaperones will also be going along with the 22-member strong dance squad.
Washington School Multicultural Night
Washington Primary School will host Multicultural Night on Friday, November 15. “All Washington students and families are encouraged to sign up to showcase your heritage,” Principal Michelle Richards said.
“If your family doesn’t have close connections to the traditions and culture of your ancestors or if you have a special interest in a country, this is a good time to reconnect or research and share what you find out,” according to an event flyer. “If your family has roots to a cultural pocket in the United States (think New Orleans, New Mexico, Hawaii) and would like to share that, you can do that, too!”
Folks can participate in the evening in a variety of ways, including: dress in special clothing, prepare food dishes and provide samples, demonstrate instruments to play music, play/teach games, share interesting photos, set-up crafts for children to, provide facts on your culture on a poster board, tell stories, share art, showcase artifacts or show your country’s map.
Piano Donation to Huntington UFSD
District resident Nancy Brady has donated a beautiful Baldwin upright piano to the Huntington UFSD music department. Huntington School Board members recently accepted the donation during a public meeting.
Superintendent James W. Polansky explained that when someone is interested in donating an item like a piano, Director of Fine and Performing Arts Eric Reynolds visits the person who wants to make the donation and inspects the piano to insure it is in good condition and properly functioning. Mr. Reynolds was extremely pleased with the piano donated by Ms. Brady.
The donation by Ms. Brady is valued at $2,000.
HHS Science Honor Society Thriving
Huntington High School’s Science Honor Society is off to a great start. The organization recently held its annual induction ceremony and replenished its ranks following last June’s graduation. An energetic corps of officers is in place. Faculty advisors Lori Kenny and Dame Forbes are quite pleased with the group’s energy.
“The new members are truly some of the brightest people I have seen in my years here and they could really help transform the Science Honor Society into something special,” President Lia Shechter said. “We are already beginning to put in motion some initiatives to further the participation in STEM studies in our school.”
I Stand With SEPTA
Huntington’s Special Education PTA is continuing its membership drive. It’s not too late to come aboard. Memberships are priced at $10 for an individual or $18 per family. Go to https://huntingtonsepta.memberhub.store. The group hopes that more people join the organization and exclaim, “I Stand with SEPTA.”
In the past 11 years, SEPTA has been able to honor 35 teachers and support staff with Distinguished Service Awards for their work with students.
SEPTA has awarded nearly $45,000 in grants to faculty members to enhance classroom learning experiences for students.
