A Tradition of Excellence at
Finley Middle School
Finley Middle School Headlines
Finley Wins at Suffolk Mock Trial Tournament
The mock trial club at J. Taylor Finley Middle School has been gathering steam throughout the current school year. Students recently had an opportunity to showcase their skills at Western Suffolk BOCES’ 41st annual mock trial tournament at Suffolk Community College in Selden.
Finley Musical on Stage on Friday & Saturday
The J. Taylor Finley Middle School drama club will present “Once Upon A Mattress Jr.” on Friday and Saturday, March 21-22 at 7 p.m. in the school auditorium. The cast and stage crew have been preparing and rehearsing for the production for weeks with final rehearsals set for this week before the curtain rises on Friday evening.
Finley Dragon Racers Capture Champion’s Award
J. Taylor Finley Middle School students competing on the Dragon Racers team captured the 1st Finalists Champion Award last week at the FIRST Long Island Championships.
Finley Students Keep Rolling in Second Marking Period
Traci Roethel is a motivator. The J. Taylor Finley Middle School principal is a big believer in the power of positive motivation. She knows it can make a difference in the lives of students and propel them to new heights.
Finley Voices Performs at School Board Meeting
The talented vocalist group Finley Voices entertained the crowd at Monday night’s Huntington School Board in the Adam Spector Auditorium at Jack Abrams STEM Magnet School, performing for trustees, district officials and residents.
Finley Artists Win Prizes at Flowerfield Exhibit & Show
A skilled group of 20 J. Taylor Finley Middle School students have had artwork chosen for exhibit at the 4th Annual Middle & High School Student Artists Juried Show at The Atelier at Flowerfield in St. James.
Finley MathCounts Team Competes in Great Neck
It all adds up and then some for the J. Taylor Finley Middle School MathCounts team, which participated in its chapter competition last weekend.
Huntington’s Sixth Grade Parent Night Offers Insight
The Huntington UFSD’s recent Sixth Grade Guidance Night offered parents valuable insight into the J. Taylor Finley Middle School academic and extracurricular programs.
Finley Principal Presents Restorative Justice Program
Restorative justice involves focusing on repairing relationships, promoting accountability and fostering understanding. J. Taylor Finley Middle School Principal Traci Roethel led a presentation at Monday’s Huntington School Board meeting about how the philosophy is being used in the building to improve student life and performance.
Finley Promotes Universal Human Rights in December
All across the world, December is Universal Human Rights Month. The J. Taylor Finley Middle School community observed it during an extended advisory period. Homerooms read through and discussed the importance of the No Place For Hate pledge before signing on to the school’s motto: Be Safe, Be Respectful, Be Responsible.
Therapy Dogs Jam and Hazel Return to Finley
Jam and Hazel were back at J. Taylor Finley Middle School this week. The two therapy dogs couldn’t be more popular with students, teachers and support staff members. The love the dogs share with the Finley community is obvious to everyone.
Huntington Students Celebrate National French Week
The 22nd annual celebration of National French Week and all things French was a fun time for all at Huntington High School. The French Honor Society took the lead in developing activities consistent with this year’s theme: Le Francais – La Langue Globale (French – The Global Language).
No Place for Hate at Finley Middle School
J. Taylor Finley Middle School’s No Place for Hate initiative is off and running with the selection of a dynamic group of student ambassadors and a full set of activities.
Finley English Teacher to be Honored at State Conference
Erica Parris is being recognized as one of the best at her craft. The J. Taylor Finley Middle School teacher will be honored by the New York State English Council and presented with the organization’s Educators of Excellence Award.
Therapy Dog Coco Visits Finley Students
J. Taylor Finley Middle School’s enrollment increased by one this week. Coco the therapy dog was in the library for a visit and judging by the reaction, there’s no need to conduct and popularity contests around the building because Coco is the winner, hands down.
Finley Community Club Ready for Great Things
If as Shakespeare wrote in “The Tempest” that “What’s past is prologue,” then the J. Taylor Finley Middle School Community Club is poised to enjoy its best year yet.
Finley’s Meet the Teacher Night Has New Spin
This month’s J. Taylor Finley Middle School Meet the Teacher night will have a different spin on it from past year’s versions.
Finley’s Yorker Club is for History Lovers
The J. Taylor Finley Middle School Yorker Club is for seventh and eighth graders who simply love history. Social studies teacher Jarrad Richter is the club’s faculty advisor.
Finley Middle School Important Information
- J. Taylor Finley 2025-26 Curriculum Guide (English/ Spanish versions)
- J. Taylor Finley 2024-25 Curriculum Guide (English/ Spanish versions)
- Finley Guidance Deptartment: 8th Grade Planning workshop (English/Spanish)
- Revised Field Trip Parent-Guardian Consent Form (During School Hours: English and Spanish)
- J. Taylor Finley Drama Club Productions Since 2000-Present
About Finley Middle
Student-Centered
A school is much more than bricks and mortar or a compilation of facts and information. At J. Taylor Finley Middle School, faculty and support staff members have purposely created a student-centered environment that is academically challenging, psychologically satisfying, and socially fulfilling.
Vital Roles
Because the adolescent period is an extremely important phase in every youngster’s development, the middle school plays a vital role in helping each student blossom into an independent and well-educated person.
Guidance through Critical Transitions
Finley relies on its excellent staff to ease students into and to guide them through this very critical transition from a self-contained elementary school classroom to a departmentalized program. Faculty members are aware of the importance of a close teacher-student relationship and of teacher-parent contacts. They foster growth in the ability of students to make decisions and to work independently. Teachers utilize a humanistic approach as they encourage and challenge students to set realistic and attainable standards of academic performance and social interaction.
Strong Foundational Skills
J. Taylor Finley Middle School has developed a program to build upon and emphasize the strong foundation of skills each student has acquired at the elementary school level, to pursue further the many different academic disciplines, to explore the creative and aesthetic areas of the fine and practical arts, to expand the awareness of career possibilities and to cultivate lifelong physical and recreational skills.
Flexibility, individualization and enrichment characterize the wide range of student experiences at J. Taylor Finley Middle School, which has been serving the community for more than four decades.
Finley Leadership
Traci Roethel
Principal
Traci Roethel has been principal of J. Taylor Finley Middle School since July 1, 2019. She was Woodhull Intermediate School’s principal for 5½ years after coming to Huntington from Candlewood Middle School in Dix Hills, where she was an assistant principal.
Mrs. Roethel earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in elementary education at Stetson University in Florida in 1992. She obtained a Master of Science degree in education with a specialization in math at Queens College in 2003 and completed an advanced graduate certificate in educational leadership at Stony Brook University in 2009.
Mrs. Roethel has completed numerous educational workshops related to curriculum and improving instruction, including Columbia University Teacher’s College seminars.
Prior to embarking on an administrative career, Mrs. Roethel worked as a sixth grade math teacher and fourth grade classroom teacher in Oyster Bay and as a math consultant to the Oyster Bay-East Norwich, Shoreham-Wading River and Hicksville school districts. She was a fourth grade teacher in Volusia County, Florida for seven years before moving to New York.
Mrs. Roethel and her husband, Guenther, a captain with JetBlue Airways, are the parents of three children.
Mrs. Roethel is a member of the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
Kenneth Parham
Assistant Principal
J. Taylor Finley Middle School Assistant Principal Kenneth C. Parham came to Huntington from the Bay Shore school district where he worked for many years as a fifth grade teacher and later as dean of students.
As a fifth grade teacher, Mr. Parham instructed accelerated mathematics classes. He possesses computer literacy in a variety of software programs. Around Finley’s hallways and classrooms, he is a very visible leader and strong personality known for his wit and wisdom and general sense of humor.
Mr. Parham received his undergraduate degree in history with a minor in education at Dowling College in 1992. He obtained a master of science in school counseling at Long Island University–C.W. Post in 1997 and earned a certificate of advanced study in educational administration at Stony Brook University in 2005.
Mr. Parham has coached the Bay Shore men’s varsity basketball team to numerous league titles and the Suffolk championship in 2004. He has been voted coach of the year many times. He was also the Bay Shore women’s varsity basketball coach for two seasons.
Upon his own high school graduation, he initially attended the University of Texas at El Paso on a basketball scholarship before eventually transferring to Dowling and finishing his playing career there.
Mr. Parham has also coached basketball at St. Anthony’s, Huntington and New York Institute of Technology.
Finley Faculty and Staff Directory
Finley Videos and Galleries
Into the Woods
Finley Drama Club's 'Into the Woods' Performance Video by Darin Reed
8th Grade Parent Night
8th Grade Parent Night Guidance Presentation Workshop
Battle of the Grades
Weeklong competition aimed at fostering school pride and teamwork among the different classes through a series of engaging challenges
Finley Galleries and Slideshows
Finley Middle School Events
Our Partners in Excellence
Finley Middle School Vitals
Contact Info
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200+
Challenging Academic Courses
14
Academic Departments
30+
Interscholastic Athletic Teams
90+
Colleges and Universities accepting 2020 HHS Graduates