Washington School Principal Michelle Richards wants every student to read, read and read. She began a Principal’s Book of the Month initiative to encourage more reading and discussion in the building’s classrooms.
November’s Principal’s Book of the Month is “The Day You Begin,” by Jacqueline Woodson. “I had the pleasure of reading this book this summer while on vacation,” Dr. Richards said. “All of our children can relate to this book, specifically at this age; because this is their first formal education experience and they are interacting with different people. So, at times the process of wanting to be accepted and having their cultures validated through the response of peers can be difficult for young minds.”
Teachers have been provided with a packet of suggested activities related to the book. Teachers are encouraged to allow students to share their connections to the story. “The ultimate goal is for students to create various extensions to the text that can be shared with the Washington community,” Dr. Richards said.
New Part-Time Health Teacher Appointed
Taylor Hayes is a new, part-time health teacher working at Huntington High School, J. Taylor Finley Middle School and Jack Abrams STEM Magnet School.
Ms. Hayes earned undergraduate and graduate degrees at Adelphi University in communications and health education, respectively. She played goalie for the Adelphi women’s lacrosse team.
Ms. Hayes completed her student teaching state certification requirements at Mineola Middle School and John F. Kennedy High School in Bellmore-Merrick. She coached several seasons of JV girls’ lacrosse at New Hyde Park Junior-Senior High School
While she was pursuing a master’s degree, Ms. Hayes was a graduate assistant women’s lacrosse coach at Adelphi. She has also coached club lacrosse in Oceanside.
District officials reviewed 38 applications, pre-screened 20 candidates and extensively interviewed 11 individuals before Ms. Hayes was recommending to the Huntington School Board for appointment.
Featured Artists at Jefferson School
Jefferson’s Featured Artists of the Month for November have been recognized. The artwork of one student from each classroom is featured each month. The pieces are hung in the hallway and the students are formally acknowledged with a medal.
November’s Featured Artists include Dylan Bernzweig, Sophia Cruz Ponce, Kimberly Granados Ventura, Emily Hiscox, Everett Lopez, Anna Matarese, Jose Mauricio Perez, Gavin Ponce, Fintan Prinz, Luna Ramirez, Angelly Rivas Jerez, Ellie Rubin Perez, Geffen Sheetrit, Olivia Sheridan and Miguel Vasquez Ibarra.
The Featured Artists of the Month initiative began when Principal Valerie Capitulo-Saide and art teacher Maria Mazzola decided the top pieces of artwork needed to be shared more widely with the school community and the students who created it needed to be publicly acknowledged for their exceptional efforts.
Dylan Bernzweig, Sophia Cruz Ponce, Kimberly Granados Ventura, Emily Hiscox, Everett Lopez, Anna Matarese, Jose Mauricio Perez, Gavin Ponce, Fintan Prinz, Luna Ramirez, Angelly Rivas Jerez, Ellie Rubin Perez, Geffen Sheetrit, Olivia Sheridan and Miguel Vasquez Ibarra
United Amigos Winter Coat Drive
Huntington High School’s United Amigos club is in the midst of its annual “Share the Warmth” winter coat drive. The group is collecting new or gently used coats for teenagers in the community who need such clothing. The drive will continue through Wednesday, November 27.
Interested in helping? Coats can be dropped off in the main lobby of the building.
Teacher Rosario Lorenzana has been the driving force behind the organization, along with energetic officers and members. Ms. Lorenzana serves as the faculty advisor of the club.
Six years ago, Ms. Lorenzana began bringing students together after school who needed tutoring and English language support. Word quickly spread to other students and it became known that the teacher’s classroom was a place not only for science and language review, but other support, including understanding American culture and navigating a big high school.
What evolved was a small community that became a second home for many students. Soon the group began to grow. Realizing the needs of the students reached beyond academics and language, Ms. Lorenzana organized United Amigos.
“The club’s initial purpose was to help immigrant students coming to the distinct from Central and South American countries to adapt to a different atmosphere and feel as if they were in their mother homelands,” Ms. Lorenzana said. “United Amigos is not only a place for a lot of fun, but it also allows students to come together and become part of the Huntington family. It has created a secure place for students over the past few years.”
Send a message to Ms. Lorenzana at rlorenzana@hufsd.edu to help with the coat drive.
Huntington High School Mathletes
The Huntington High School Mathletes are a formidable group of students under the tutelage of math teachers and faculty advisors Keith Mattis and Amanda Scott.
Mathletes offers its members “fun and challenging math problems for all levels and students,” according to the organization.
The group meets after school on Tuesdays and competes once a month on Monday afternoons.
Interested in joining? See one of the advisors or send a message to Mr. Mattis (kmattis@hufsd.edu) or Ms. Scott (ascott@hufsd.edu).
Grandfrieds Making Baskets for Senior Citizens
Huntington High School’s Grandfriends club is in the middle of its annual campaign to make Thanksgiving Day baskets for distribution to senior citizens in the community.
Grandfriends is collecting all sorts of items ranging from canned vegetables and instant mashed potatoes to flour, evaporated milk and boxed biscuit mix.
The baskets will be distributed to area senior citizens through the Town of Huntington’s Senior Center on Park Avenue.
Grandfriends is an intergenerational program in which both senior citizens and teenagers develop an enriched relationship. It also serves to bridge the generation gap. The organization accomplishes its goals through visits to local senior citizen centers and satellite facilities and through various other initiatives. Several dozen students are participating in the club this year.
Huntington High School business teacher Suzi Biagi and retired high school librarian Camille DeCanio are the organization’s co-faculty advisors.
Woodhull School Student Council
The Woodhull Intermediate School student council is off to a great start to the 2019/20 school year. Teachers Scott Armyn and Jessica Risalvato serve as the organization’s energetic faculty advisors.
This year’s executive board members include President Domenica Elgart, Vice-President Sofia Vias, Treasurer Emma Boyle and Secretary Chloe Donovan.
“Our officers have vowed to represent their classmates’ best interests and be good role models for the school,” Ms. Risalvato said.
Washington Collects for Helping Hand Rescue Mission
The Washington Primary School community is in the middle of a Thanksgiving Day food drive to benefit the Huntington Station based Helping Hands Rescue Mission. Classes has been assigned different food items to collect. The goal is to provide needy families with breakfast and dinner meals on Thanksgiving Day.
The Washington PTA is helping to spearhead the initiative. Helping Hands Rescue Mission representatives will be visiting classrooms on November 19 to thank students for their participation in the food drive.
