Tradition of Excellence Continues at Flower Hill School

Flower Hill Primary School is ready to welcome back hundreds of students spread across kindergarten through third grade who are all excited about the new school year.

“I am delighted to extend a warm welcome to all our students along with their families to the 2024/25 school year at Flower Hill Primary School,” Principal Cindy Siegel said. “It is with great anticipation that we begin this journey together, with a shared commitment to academic and personal growth. Our dedicated team of educators have been working diligently to prepare, designing engaging and meaningful learning experiences that will cater to the diverse needs of our students.”

Flower Hill has always had a notable degree of parent involvement and support and the new school year is expected to continue this long tradition.

“This year, we will continue to foster a culture of collaboration, inclusivity and respect within our school community,” Ms. Siegel said. “I believe in the power of teamwork and the importance of a strong partnership between home and school. Together, we can provide the support and guidance our students need to grow academically, socially and emotionally.”

Flower Hills faculty and support staff consists of a wonderful mixed of veterans and recent appointees who collaborate well together and are enthusiastic about their jobs.

“We will continue to implement Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports,” Ms. Siegel said. “ PBIS is an evidence based framework that we use to promote and encourage positive behavior in our students, creating a safe and nurturing environment. We aim to foster a positive school culture where every student can thrive.”

Over the past week, Flower Hills classrooms are already starting to take shape as teachers stop by the school to begin preparations for the 2024/25 school year.

“Let us embrace this new year with enthusiasm and determination,” Ms. Siegel said. “Together, we will overcome obstacles, celebrate successes and create a learning community where every child can flourish.”

Ms. Siegel has been principal of Flower Hill Primary School since July 6, 2022. She came to Huntington UFSD after a successful nine year run as assistant principal at PS 250 – George Lindsey Elementary School in Brooklyn.

Flower Hill’s educational leader obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in elementary education at St. John’s University in 1995. Ms. Siegel earned a graduate degree in elementary school at Adelphi University in 1997. She studied educational administration and supervision at the College of St. Rose, obtaining her state certification as an administrator.

Prior to assuming the position of assistant principal at George Lindsey Elementary School, Ms. Siegel was a math coach there for nine years, facilitating parent and faculty workshops, assisting with the implementation of the Super Saturday program, serving on the core inquiry team, creating assessment checklists for all grades, working with the technology specialist to acquire needed resources, mentoring new teachers and developing promotional criteria and testing.

Earlier in her career, Ms. Siegel taught second and third grades for six years at George Lindsey Elementary School, applying a variety of teaching strategies to accommodate students with different learning abilities and learning styles. She incorporated a 90 minute literacy block into the schedule and collaborated on thematic planning with colleagues.

Ms. Siegel strives to apply strong organizational, critical thinking and creative problem solving skills in her everyday role as a school building leader.

Flower Hill History

Flower Hill Elementary School was erected in 1954 in response to a surge in enrollment experienced by the Huntington School District during the post-World War II era. Huge tracts of wooded land and farms were snatched up by developers who later erected thousands of houses throughout the area.

The basic design and layout of Flower Hill closely mirrors that of its sister schools, Southdown and Washington. All three were simultaneously constructed, using identical materials. The Flower Hill site, which includes 14 acres of land, is tucked into a beautiful area of the school district, crammed with flowering trees.

As students poured into Huntington during the 1950’s, district trustees moved to address the space crunch by proposing an additional wing for Flower Hill. Residents supported the idea and the structure went up in 1958, resulting in the current dimensions.

Flower Hill features an attractive entrance area. The building’s exterior features classic red brick. A second parking lot was constructed in the past decade to better accommodate the needs of employees and parents visiting the school.

In addition to regular classrooms, Flower Hill contains space used for self-contained instruction, physical therapy, ENL services, computer instruction and art, reading and music classes. Smaller spaces are used for speech, math, occupational therapy, psychological services, remedial instruction and speech therapy.

The school also has a gym with a stage in one end, a cafeteria for breakfast and lunch and a well-equipped library and media center. There are two outdoor playground areas for student recreation and exercise.

The school’s original kindergarten playground was replaced with modern equipment. An extravagant garden area was created behind the gym, between the building’s two wings. To descend into the basement, which is really just one large room, you must exit the building and utilize a separate entrance. That area is used strictly for storage.