Trustees Recognized for Volunteer Service

The all-volunteer Huntington School Board was honored at Monday’s public meeting in the Jack Abrams STEM Magnet School auditorium.

Huntington School Board President Xavier Palacios, Vice President Michele Kustera and trustees Kelly Donovan, Bill Dwyer, Tom Galvin, Annie Michaelian and Theresa Sullivan were all recognized for their public service and the time they devote to their positions.

“During School Board Recognition Week, we take the time to thank these dedicated individuals for their commitment to our students, our schools and our community,” Huntington Superintendent Beth McCoy said. “Their leadership, vision and service deserve our recognition and appreciation. I am truly thankful to work with each one of you who put a tremendous amount of effort and thought into every decision that is made, every question that is asked and the countless hours that you dedicate to the students and families of the Huntington Union Free School District. Thank you!”

J. Taylor Finley Middle School art students Tulsi Singh, Caleigh Camarata and Noelle Otto presented trustees with notecards featuring artwork created by seventh and eighth grade Studio in Art students. Teachers Jessica Simms and Karen Morea were on hand. The pair said the artwork features a wide range of content and materials, which is representative of how they teach their classes. Some of the artwork included clay slab painted with watercolor, scratch art created with oil pastel and indigo ink, charcoal value drawings, colored pencil, linoleum block printing and watercolor studies.

The Huntington High School robotics club and Computer Integrated Manufacturing class also designed small gifts “to show their appreciation for your continued support for programs,” district director of fine and performing arts Kimberly Musial said. Robotics team captain Jaipreet Singh, vice-captain Oliver Gerberg and chief of business operations Jordana Boxer, presented trustees with pens and pen cases to go along with the notecards presented by the art students. Robotics club faculty advisor and CIM teacher Omar Santiago accompanied the students.

The pens were made using a wooden lathe machine in the wood shop. They were designed by the robotics students themselves. The cases were designed and constructed by the CIM students. They are learning engineering, robotics and automation.

Huntington High School orchestra students Matthew Jimenez (violin), Kyra Scott (violin), Rachel Huth (viola) and Toni Reyes-Sorto (cello) performed the first two movements from Franz Schubert’s String Quartet No. 1.

The trustees expressed their gratitude for the small gifts, the musical performance and all of the sentiments shared.

The New York State School Boards Association said the week “is a time to promote awareness and understanding of the important work performed by local school boards. Public schools form the bedrock of our communities and our country. Democracy thrives with educated citizens capable of critical thinking and civil discourse. And it is our local school boards who are ultimately responsible for student success.”

Some of the key work performed by the Huntington School Board to increase student achievement includes:

• Developing a shared vision and goals for the district

• Ensuring strategies, resources, policies and programs align with district goals

• Assessing and providing accountability for student achievement

• Supporting a healthy school district culture in which to work and learn

• Evaluating the superintendent to ensure continuous improvement

Huntington School Board members are elected to three year terms by district residents. They do not draw salaries or receive health insurance or retirement benefits. They are responsible for overseeing the education of thousands of young people in the community as well as a budget amounting to more than $152 million and hundreds of full and part-time employees.

Completely devoted to supporting the most comprehensive classroom and co-curricular program the community is capable of providing, the district trustees spend countless hours each month preparing for and participating in meetings and attending events in all eight school buildings and at other locations throughout the community.