The first PTO meeting of the 2018-2019 school year is scheduled for Thursday, October 11 at 6:30 p.m. in the school cafeteria. One of the agenda items will be the approval of new bylaws for the organization. The draft bylaws are available for review here. 

The bylaws specify the purpose of the organization, the duties of the Executive Board members, procedures for holding funds and accessing those funds, and other aspects of the PTO operations. The current Executive Board has drafted an update of the bylaws to address some outdated elements of the existing version. Some of the notable proposed changes include: 

• Consolidation of the Corresponding Secretary and Recording Secretary positions on the Executive Board.
• Addition of electronic communications (website, email) to Secretary duties.
• Addition of language to encourage the use of class funds within the year that they are raised. 
• Consolidation of some aspects of the previous "procedures" guidance into the bylaws (such as the procedures for requesting funds from the General PTO account and the grade-level accounts). 

​Any PTO member (including any parent/guardian of a Huntington student, as well as all teachers and administrators) may submit comments on the draft bylaws at the October 11 meeting or via email prior to the meeting at huntingtonschoolpto@gmail.com. A simple majority vote at the October 11 meeting is needed to approve the updated bylaws. 

The first day of school will soon be upon us! All new and returning families should have received Mrs. Harlow's recent welcome letter. The letter contains many important details for the opening of the 2018-2019 school year.

Please note: 

• School for students in kindergarten through 8th grade begins on Thursday, September 6. 
• Pre-K students begin on Friday, September 7. 
• Free breakfast and lunch is available to all students. 
• Kindergarten orientation is September 5, 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. in the classrooms. 
• Pre-K orientation is September 6, at either 11:00 a.m. (Ms. Payne), 10:00 a.m. (Ms. Appleton), or 1:00 p.m. (Ms. Appleton), in the classrooms. 
• Open House for all families is Wednesday, September 12, with sessions at 5:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. (same information - pick the time that is convenient for you). 

Please review Mrs. Harlow's letter for details on the school's cell phone policy (all electronic devices must remain out of sight and turned off). 

Also, please note that due to the ongoing building renovations, there will be NO ENTRANCE INTO EITHER PARKING LOT FOR PARENTS (parking, pick-up, or drop-off) UNTIL AT LEAST NOVEMBER. The letter contains more details; please review and plan accordingly for drop-off and pick-up while the parking lots are closed. 

We hope you will consider attending a PTO meeting this year. Our first meeting is scheduled for Thursday, October 11 at 6:30 p.m. in the cafeteria. PTO meetings are a great opportunity to meet other parents, staff members, and administrators and discuss your concerns and suggestions. We look forward to meeting you! 

UPDATE, 8/30/18: The letter from Superintendent Alicea describing the arrival and dismissal procedures that will be in place at the start of school can be found here. Until construction of the new bus loop is complete (anticipated in November), the doors on the west side of the building at the cafeteria will serve as the single point of entry for all students, parents, and other visitors. Please review the letter for more details. 

If you have been by school lately, you're certainly aware that the renovations have started! Safety fencing has been put up along Sunnycrest Road, the heavy equipment has moved in, and site work has begun in the front of the school. There are many elements to the renovation, and some of the work will continue throughout the school year and into the next summer. Please make sure to read this letter from Mrs. Harlow updating the community on the work being completed this summer, and see our previous posts for more information about what will be included in the renovations. The PTO Board members will work with the building administration to pass along timely and accurate updates throughout the renovation process. We all look forward to the improved facilities for our students that will result from this project! 

Our annual Gertrude Hawk Chocolates fundraiser is underway! Instructions, order forms, and brochures have been distributed to all students. Order forms and online orders that will be delivered to school are due Tuesday, February 27. See the flyer for full details. For online orders, you must set up a fundraiser account here. The Group Code for online orders is 708137. All sale proceeds will go directly to classrooms! Thank you in advance for your support! **Please note that we do not recommend selling door-to-door.**

We hope everyone had a great summer! The new school year is just around the corner. Students in grades K though 8 start on Wednesday, September 6, and pre-K students start on Thursday, September 7. 

For more information about the start of the upcoming school year, including changes in building staff and policies, please review Mrs. Harlow's welcome letter. 

We hope to see many Huntington families at the Orientation and Back-to-School Barbeque on Tuesday, September 5. Orientation sessions are scheduled for 5:00-5:30 p.m. and 5:30-6:00 p.m., with the BBQ from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. You must attend an orientation session to get a ticket for the barbeque. 

Thank you to everyone who attended a meeting or event, participated in a fundraiser, or otherwise supported PTO this year!

A few items to note as we close out the year:
- Check out Mrs. Harlow's year-end letter highlighting the successes at Huntington this year and the goals for next year. 
- School supply lists for next year were distributed with report cards. 
- Mark your calendar for the Back-to-School Barbeque and Orientation on Tuesday, September 5! Orientation sessions are scheduled for 5:00-5:30 p.m. and 5:30-6:00 p.m., with the BBQ from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. You must attend an orientation session to get a ticket for the barbeque.
- School starts for grades K through 8 on Wednesday, September 6, 2017. 

​Have a great summer! 

Building renovations and site work at Huntington are anticipated to start in 2018. A new playground is proposed as part of the renovations. The District's Facilities Department has provided renderings of the proposed playground, which will include a variety of new play structures, benches and shade umbrellas, and new swings. As proposed, the playground will be in a new location, in the rear of the school just beyond the existing parking lot along the western edge of the back field (opposite where it is currently located). The baseball diamond that is currently located in that area will be moved to the east side of the back field under this proposal. The current playground area will likely be converted to an additional parking area. 

Check out the renderings below. You can also view a site plan here (as if you're looking straight down from above). (Note: the Facilities Department has indicated that an additional piece of equipment called "SwayFun," which is accessible to children with disabilities, will be added to the plans.) 

For more information about the proposed building renovations and site work, see our previous blog post. 

 Due to limited response from students, this event has been cancelled. 

Students in grades 5 through 8 are invited to participate in the Student Talent Show. Auditions are required, and are scheduled for May 9, 10, and 11 between 3:00 and 5:00 p.m. Students must have a signed permission slip to participate in the audition. See the flier for full details and the required permission slip. Performances must be appropriate for young audiences ("G-rated") and no more than 3 minutes long. Students must supply their own music and props. The show will be held on Thursday, May 25 at 6:30 p.m. All community members are invited to attend!