Finley Middle School Has Great Start to New Year
As the first marking quarter races forward, the J. Taylor Finley Middle School community is quite pleased with how the 2014/15 school year has begun as teachers and students are working hard to master a challenging curriculum.
There are 725 seventh and eighth graders studying at Finley this year. “The first six weeks have been great,” Principal John Amato said. “Our student body is an exceptional group of young people and they have embraced the new school year with enthusiasm.”
Named after a longtime district teacher and administrator, Finley has been serving the community since September 1965. When it opened it was the third junior high school in the Huntington School District. For many years it featured a sixth grade wing in an effort to relieve overcrowding on the elementary school level. For most of its existence Finley housed grades 7-9.
After Robert L. Stimson and Robert K. Toaz junior high schools closed, Finley’s classrooms were packed. When the Huntington School Board decided to move freshmen to the high school, Finley gained some breathing room.
“This year we are focusing on strengthening our delivery of the Common Core Learning Standards in all subjects; using technology as a tool for instruction and parent communication and making the building look great aesthetically,” said Mr. Amato about Finley’s goals. “Our overriding goal will be to provide all students with a rigorous academic experience as well as a fun and exciting one.”
Finley and its students have won their fair share of academic honors and awards over the years. The school is also known for its fine athletic teams and it’s comprehensive after school club program.
Mr. Amato wants parents to feel confident that the school is doing an exceptional job educating the young people of the community. “I would like them to know that their children are in good hands every day,” the principal said. “Our staff loves what they do and they do it well. We provide a very healthy environment in which students can learn how to be good people as well as building their academic skills.”