Huntington School Board members have appointed Rae Montesano as the Jack Abrams STEM Magnet School acting principal. She had been the STEM coach since August 2013.
As acting principal, Ms. Montesano will provide instructional leadership and supervision and academic support for teachers and students in the building.
Ms. Montesano became chairperson of science and instructional technology, 7-12 in July 2011. She came to Huntington a year earlier, serving as district director of science and instructional technology, K-12.
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Ms. Montesano obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology at Cornell University in 1976. She earned a Master of Science degree in education in 2000 at Hofstra University, where she secured state certification as an administrator in 2004.
Prior to coming to Huntington, Ms. Montessano was the science chairperson (grades 6-12) in the Glen Cove City School District for four years. While there she was instrumental in coordinating programs with several colleges, including Harvard, as well as introducing innovative courses developed through this coordination.
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Ms. Montessano has also worked as a science teacher in Harborfields from September 1999 to June 2006 and as a part-time science aide at North Shore High School in Nassau from September 1996 to August 1999. She participated in Eastern Suffolk BOCES summer curriculum writing projects in 2000 and 2001.
Of special importance to Ms. Montesano is what she refers to as her “three R’s:” relationships, rigor, and relevancy. She maintains memberships in numerous professional organizations.
Reach for the Stars Gala
The Huntington Foundation for Excellence in Education’s 21st annual Reach for the Stars gala will be held on Friday, February 7 from 6:30-11:30 p.m. at Crest Hollow Country Club in Woodbury. Proceeds from the event will fund the organization’s efforts to enhance classroom education, the arts and athletics in the Huntington School District.
The Huntington Foundation has reduced the ticket price this year to $95 per person in an effort to entice even more members of the school community to attend the event. (After January 31, tickets will be sold for $100 and there will be open seating.)
The affair will consist of a sumptuous hors d’oeuvre and cocktail hour, a delicious hot meal, dessert, unlimited refreshments, music, dancing and dozens of appealing auction and raffle items. Since its inception, the Foundation has funded more than $800,000 worth of teacher generated educational grants in the district.
HFEE will recognize Huntington High School librarian Patricia Dillon with the organization’s Spirit Award at this year’s gala. Raffle items at the event are expected to range from extravagant trips, autographed memorabilia and high quality goods and artwork to personal services, dinners, shows and other spectacular pieces. There will also be a live auction segment with a professional auctioneer.
An invitation to the gala, donation forms and additional information can be located by visiting the Huntington Foundation’s web page at www.hufsd.edu (click on School Community, then Huntington Foundation and finally “Forms and Files”) or by contacting Laurene Napurano at (631) 988-0949 or laurenen@optonline.net. An RSVP for reserved seating must be received by January 31.
Plant Announces College Plans
Huntington High School senior has been by Montclair State University for the fall 2014 semester. He intends to play lacrosse there. The teenager was a member of the Blue Devil football team that won the Suffolk championship this past fall. He will play his final season for Huntington’s lacrosse team in the spring.
Mr. Plant plans to study business at Montclair State, with a concentration in sports, events and tourism.
Special Olympics Floor Hockey
The Huntington School District will hold a Special Olympics floor hockey tournament on Saturday, January 18 at Huntington High School. The event will run from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. “It will be a small event, not like track, but people may want to come and see what it is all about,” said Linda Costello-Roth, Huntington’s special education chairperson for grades 7-12 and the coach of the district’s Special Olympics floor hockey team.
Volunteers are welcome to pitch-in and help organizers at the event. Contact Mrs. Costello-Roth at (631) 673-2046/2093 or lroth@hufsd.edu.
16th Annual Legislature Roundtable
Several Huntington School District officials are expected to participate in Western Suffolk BOCES’ 16th annual Legislative Roundtable on Friday, January 24 at the organization’s conference center in Wheatley Heights.
The status and importance of the following items will be discussed:
· The proposed 2014/15 New York State budget and its implication for school aid and services to children on Long Island.
· The Suffolk County School Superintendents Association proposal to eliminate the state’s budget gap elimination adjustment (GEA).
· Western Suffolk BOCES/SCSSA recommendations and suggestions to help correct problems with the rollout of the Common Core.
· Student testing and privacy issues.
