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! 

As part of the annual school review process, the administration at Huntington School is conducting a parent survey. You can download the survey here. The survey asks questions about parent interactions with school personnel, communications, student services, and school climate. Your feedback is encouraged! Download the survey and return completed surveys to the Main Office. 

A Community Meeting was held at Huntington on March 23 to inform the school community and neighbors about the upcoming renovations at Huntington, which are expected to start in 2018. Representatives from the district's Facilities Department along with the architecture, landscape architecture, engineering, and construction management firms involved in the project gave a presentation and answered questions. The presentation is now available here for review.  

The total project budget is $22.5 million, with a significant amount of that budget to be spent on accessibility improvements (to address compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, or ADA) along with safety and security upgrades.

Proposed major changes include:

• new, secure front entry vestibule;
• new elevator;
• bathroom upgrades throughout the building;
• removal of carpet;
• relocation of the playground;
• window replacements; and
• traffic flow changes around the building, including a "bus loop" in the front of the building.

A proposed site plan and renderings of the front of the building are included in the presentation, along with a more detailed list of interior improvements. 

The PTO Executive Board previously submitted comments on the initial proposed plans (originally presented at our January 19 meeting). 

Do you have additional comments or questions about the proposed plans for the building? Please send comments to huntingtonschoolpto@gmail.com and we will share them with the Facilities Department. 

On Friday, March 24, 2017, Huntington will be hosting presentations about the appropriate use of social media - and the consequences of inappropriate use - for middle school students. Parents are welcome and encouraged to attend. 

Presentations are by grade level, as follows: 

6th grade: 8:15-9:00 a.m.
7th grade: 9:00-9:45 a.m.
8th grade: 9:45-10:30 a.m.

All presentations will take place in the cafeteria. 

All middle school parents should have received a letter from Pricipal Harlow providing additional information about the presentations and the school's concerns with use of social media. Please contact the school with any questions. 

The New York State assessments for students in grades 3 through 8 are scheduled for March 28-30 (English Language Arts) and May 2-4 (Math). All parents should have received a letter from Superintendent Alicea about the upcoming tests, detailing the recent changes to the tests (in response to concerns expressed by parents, students, and educators) and providing tips on how to help your child do their personal best. The Huntington administration also sent a letter home with students providing additional information about the tests and the testing procedures at school. Please review this information, and contact the school with any questions. 

Catalogs and order forms for the Gertrude Hawk Chocolates sale were distributed to classrooms last week. ORDERS ARE DUE FEBRUARY 28. You can use the order form enclosed in the packet, or place orders online.

​For orders using the paper order form: Keep the bottom (pink) copy and the catalog for your records and make sure all checks are payable to Huntington PTO. Please do not submit cash; the PTO is not responsible for cash submitted or lost.

For online orders: Go to http://www.gertrudehawkchocolates.com/fund-raising/programs/online-fundraising and enter Group No. 708137, then follow the instructions on the website. All online orders require payment with a credit card. 

Family and friends are encouraged to participate, but door-to-door selling is not recommended. 

We anticipate that orders will arrive at school the week of March 20.   

Please contact Emily Pascale at emcasey@hotmail.com with any questions on this fundraiser. 

​Thank you for supporting our school through this fundraiser!