Half Hollow Hills Pilots Bus Safety Program For Its Youngest Students

Do you remember the excitement of the first time you stepped on a school bus? Recently 150 4-year-olds in the Half Hollow Hills Universal Pre-Kindergarten (UPK) program did just that, as they took part in a bus safety program before heading on a field trip to the district's newly upgraded planetarium. This special program helped the district’s youngest students become prepared for the daily bus rides they will be starting next school year, coupled with an adventurous field trip to the district’s 24-foot digital projection planetarium.

The students in the UPK program participated in a bus safety lesson provided by the Half Hollow Hills Transportation Department where they learned how to enter and exit the bus properly, the importance of listening to the bus driver, and the rules for bus behavior to ensure their safety. Following the lesson, the students rode the bus on a field trip to the planetarium at Half Hollow Hills High School East. There the planetarium’s directors, Mr. Affatigato and Mr. Clare, took the students on a virtual trip from Earth to outer space, as they “blasted-off” from their home elementary schools into orbit and explored various places in the solar system and beyond.

“Universal Pre-K is designed to provide our children with a range of experiences that impact their preparedness as they enter kindergarten,” explained Patrick Harrigan, Deputy Superintendent of the Half Hollow Hills Central School District. “Initiatives like the bus safety program and the opportunity to take advantage of the district planetarium are unique aspects of the curriculum made possible through our strong partnership with REACH CYA.”

The Half Hollow Hills UPK program is fully state-funded, with no cost to the local tax payer, and was delivered to approximately 150 children during the 2016-17 school year in partnership with the REACH Community and Youth Agency. Each class is taught by a New York State Certified Teacher, an instructional assistant, and may only have a maximum of 18 students. The program implements a comprehensive, age-appropriate curriculum which integrates all subject areas, and is aligned with the New York State Pre-K Learning Standards. Most of the UPK students in Half Hollow Hills transition easily into the same home school for kindergarten the following year.

“Each of the classes in our unique UPK program are held in our elementary buildings which provides our students with the opportunity to become familiar with their larger home school for the following year, including the administrators and staff,” remarked Sheri Keller, the Coordinator of Preschool and Related Services and affectionately known as the district’s ‘Director of First Impressions’. “This bus safety lesson and field trip not only prepared the students for their daily school bus rides as kindergarteners, but also gave them an exciting first field trip experience as we introduced them to the beauty of our planetarium.”

The planetarium has transitioned from a large, optical star projector that was capable of only projecting the night sky onto the dome to a fully integrated digital projection system. The Evans & Sutherland Digistar 5 System allows students to not only observe the night sky, but to also virtually travel to any place in the observable universe. Students can take simulated trips to Saturn to more closely examine the composition of Saturn's rings, travel to distant stars that make up famous constellations, and observe the moon revolving around the Earth to gain a deeper understanding of the causes of moon phases.

"The Half Hollow Hills Planetarium Program has enjoyed an extensive history dating back to the late 1960’s. Traditionally, the planetarium has accommodated all elementary students and a number of secondary students on annual visits designed to enhance their course curriculum,” said Christian Fogarazzo, Director of the Science Department at Half Hollow Hills. “We were thrilled to extend this invitation to our students enrolled in the district's UPK program. We hope that these new visits generate student excitement and enthusiasm to learn more about the wonders of the universe."

The students enjoyed the entire day, from learning about how to ride the bus safely, to marveling at the planetarium’s new digital display of our universe. Therefore, the district plans to continue this successful program with next year’s UPK students.

An education-oriented community with high academic expectations, the Half Hollow Hills Central School District is located in a residential area of 50,000 people in the central part of Long Island, approximately 40 miles from New York City. Providing for the education of approximately 8,400 students, the school district has five elementary schools, two middle schools and two high schools. Half Hollow Hills High Schools are fully accredited by the New York State Department of Education and the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools. The District is committed to providing students opportunities to excel in academics, athletics, and the arts.