Huntington School District Opens With Enthusiasm

By Jim Hoops

The summer vacation is officially over. Students, faculty and staff are returning to classrooms with renewed enthusiasm as the Huntington School District swings back into action with high hopes for a banner year.

The district’s annual convocation was held on Tuesday in the Huntington High School auditorium. Huntington School Board President Emily Rogan and Superintendent James W. Polansky spoke about their enthusiasm for what each believes will be an exceptional year.

“I have been involved in over two dozen opening days as an educator,” Mr. Polansky said. “I can honestly say that the excitement and anticipation associated with the first day of classes is as strong today as it was when my career first began. Each new school year brings new opportunities, new experiences and new possibilities. You can see it clearly in the faces of the students and staff across the district.”

It’s been a busy summer in the district as new textbooks, workbooks, library books, computers, SMART Boards and computer software were shipped to buildings and readied for use by teachers and students. Numerous renovation and repair projects have been completed, including new parking fields at Washington and Southdown Schools and two new chemistry labs at Huntington High School. New teachers have been hired to replace those who either retired or left to pursue other ventures.

The district’s new faculty members participated in orientation activities designed to help the teachers get off to a smooth start. All teachers were required to report to their buildings on Tuesday for a series of meetings, but most started arriving days in advance to review class lists, arrange classrooms, organize books and lesson plans and meet informally with colleagues. Many students and parents stopped into schools to become acquainted with floor plans and get comfortable with the layout.

The 2014/15 budget is funding the acquisition of 380 tablet devices, 42 desktop computers, 10 laptop carts, 55 printers and 30 SMART Boards. Principals and teachers intend to put the new instructional equipment to good use in classrooms.

The buildings and grounds department spent the final weeks of the vacation putting the finishing touches on each building. The work included polishing hallway floors, delivering boxes of supplies to classrooms, prepping the grounds, painting and setting up cafeteria tables so they are ready to accommodate an influx of nearly 4,500 students.

Jack Abrams STEM Magnet School is welcoming sixth graders to its program. There will be about 280 students in the building this year. There will be full-day kindergarten classes in each of the district’s four primary school buildings after Huntington School Board members reinstated the program after three years of half-day classes.

Bus drivers have been making dry runs through their routes in an effort to identify any potential problems. District officials say there are typically a few snafus with bus pick-ups and drop-offs, but parents can expect them to be straightened out in short order. Parents can call 673-2032 to report any difficulties.

Huntington High School athletic teams have been practicing for more than a week. Teams at J. Taylor Finley Middle School will kick-off next Monday. Nurses have organized their offices and several have even begun fielding calls from parents about the needs of their respective son or daughter. Principals have made last minute schedule changes and kept close tabs on any new students enrolling.

“The opening of a new school year is all about excitement and anticipation of the days ahead,” Mr. Polansky said. “We will remain focused on building our instructional capacity and actively engaging our students in the educational process. District teachers and staff will continue to foster welcoming school environments and authentic learning experiences. We are committed to developing well rounded students and to preparing them for what they will surely experience in a global, technologically-driven 21st century society.”