Oakwood Primary Center took the spotlight at the April 9th Board of Education meeting as we continue South Huntington’s 100th anniversary festivities. At one BOE meeting each month this school year, students from one of our schools have been performing and/or making special presentations in honor of our centennial.

Oakwood’s presentation centered around the school’s motto #TheOakwoodWay. At Oakwood, they believe that everyone can find success by working hard, doing their best, and being kind and respectful.  “We celebrate South Huntington’s drive to excel, school history and heritage, community partnerships, dedicated faculty and families, students, and Wildcat Spirit,” said Dr. Michaelian. 

Second grade students from Ms. Beth Borland and Ms. Crystal Levey’s class, Ms. Keiry Ramos’ class, and Ms. Chelsea Jones’ class gathered on the choral riser in front of a packed audience of proud family, teachers and administrators to perform the song “A Million Dreams” from the movie “The Greatest Showman.”  They’ve been practicing for weeks with music teacher Ms. Lisa Morabito.  As second grader Ella Goldstein explained to the audience, “We selected this song because it represents the million dreams South Huntington has accomplished in its 100 years, and a million dreams yet to come!”  

As part of the district’s 100th anniversary commemoration, a time capsule will be buried on the grounds of Walt Whitman High School during Family Fun Weekend on Sunday, May 4th.  Each one of South Huntington’s seven schools has been busy putting together their own smaller time capsule to be included.  Oakwood has created a scrapbook titled “Kindness is Timeless” that will be part of their time capsule.  The scrapbook highlights, with photos and stories, the special events, traditions, and characteristics that make Oakwood shine.  As a way to share this special book, Oakwood’s Student Council Kindness Captains, with help from technology integration coach Ms. Sandy Daniels, made a video that takes us inside the pages of the scrapbook as we hear the words of a special poem about the primary center recited by the students.

Each South Huntington school is also creating a puzzle piece that will form one big composition representing all seven of the district’s schools and how we work together.  Dr. Michaelian and assistant principal Mrs. Sarah Schlessinger presented Oakwood’s puzzle piece and thanked art teacher Ms. Noreen Erickson for her help in creating it.  The piece shows Oakwood’s “strong commitment to promoting kindness.”  It’s beautifully painted to feature the “kindness bucket,” which symbolizes the positive feelings and thoughts we all carry inside, and those we share with others. It also includes the district’s Wildcat mascot, paw print, and the words “Kindness is Timeless.”  The puzzle piece is outlined with the fingerprints of the Oakwood students who took part in the artwork.

To wrap things up, the students and teachers presented each member of the Board of Education with an Oakwood Kindness t-shirt as a thank you for “the kindness and care you have always shown to our South Huntington family.”

We thank Oakwood’s students and teachers, principal Annie Michaelian, and assistant principal Sarah Schlessinger for all the hard work the entire school put in getting ready for this performance!  You did such a great job making us all feel so proud of our school district’s rich history and enduring legacy.  

Led by music educator Ms. Lisa Morabito, 2nd grade students sang “A Million Dreams” from The Greatest Showman, commemorating the “million dreams” South Huntington has accomplished in its 100 years, and the million dreams yet to come.

The book Oakwood created, “Kindness is Timeless,” highlights all of the good that goes on in their beloved school and will be placed in the district time capsule to be seen in 2075.

As a special thank you, students gifted Board members their own purple kindness t-shirts.




 

Oakwood principal Dr. Michaelian and assistant principal Mrs. Sarah Schlessinger presented Oakwood’s puzzle piece to the Board and thanked art teacher Ms. Noreen Erickson for her help in creating it.