Education

Gabe Jaffe has launched Teen Hampton, an online community of young adults who want to work as babysitters and sports coaches this summer on the East End.

Kids will be very busy this week, if the lineup of fun, local activities for teens and younger children is any indication.

The changes have been subtle, but nevertheless troubling, Marrina Jacka and Morgan Johnson Quamina alleged this week, ever since the Ross School brought in Charlie Abelmann as its interim head-of-school. In response to the change in administrators, Marrina and Morgan, co-presidents of the school's student body, led a walkout on Monday, during which 50 or so students streamed out of classroom buildings and walked around the campus, holding signs and chanting: "Hey hey, ho ho, this head of school has got to go!"

Monday's basketball game between East Hampton High School and Patchogue-Medford — the first home contest for Bonac's unified basketball program — had all the thrill of a varsity playoff game and all the heart a community could muster, showcasing the meaningful moments that can happen when players with developmental disabilities are given the same opportunity to do what many of their non-disabled peers do.

Voters across the South Fork approved their districts' 2022-23 budgets in Tuesday's vote. In the only districts with contested school board races, Springs and Sag Harbor, Emma Field and Erik Fredrickson were elected to the Springs board and Grainne Coen and Ronald Reed won seats in Sag Harbor.

The New York State Education Department has deemed the Bridgehampton School District a 21st Century Community Learning Center, awarding it a grant of approximately $2.5 million spanning the next five years.

Through SoFo, kids and teens can take a full-moon hike, help tag horseshoe crabs, learn about snakes, or help with a beach cleanup. Plus, library activities and fun with Project Most.

Monday is the deadline for voters to request an absentee ballot for the annual school budget vote and board member elections. Voters must request them from their respective school district clerks; applications for such ballots are generally available on the schools' websites or in person in the administrative offices.

For the first time, the Wainscott School District and the Bridgehampton School District have come together to put a contract on the ballot that would offer a third choice for Wainscott families with children in fourth grade and up: the option to attend the Bridgehampton School.

Residents of every public school district in New York State will head to the polls on Tuesday to weigh in on budget plans, propositions, and school board candidates. Most South Fork districts are staying within state-mandated limits on tax-levy increases, and only two districts have contested school board races.

In the race for two open seats on the Sag Harbor School Board, four candidates — including three who are running write-in campaigns — have aligned themselves into two slates. Initially there was only one candidate, which surprised many in the village, where school board races usually have multiple people running.

This year's race for two seats on the Springs School Board features four candidates, none of them incumbents, meaning that two newcomers are destined to be elected.

On Wednesday at 7, the Noyac Civic Council will host a virtual Meet the Candidates night to give community members a chance to get to know the four people seeking seats on the Sag Harbor School Board.

Weeks after its request for $250,000 to support day care and prekindergarten for its 100-plus students was rejected by the East Hampton School District, representatives of the Eleanor Whitmore Early Childhood Center talked with the East Hampton Town Board about the center's need to expand its funding sources.

Meet the Candidates

On Wednesday at 7:30, the Noyac Civic Council will host a virtual Meet the Candidates night to give community members a chance to get to know the four people seeking seats on the Sag Harbor School Board.

Grainne Coen will be the only candidate officially on the May 17 ballot, as she was the only one to formally file a nominating petition. She will be joined by Ronald Reed, Janice D’Angelo, and Heather Hartstein, who are mounting write-in campaigns. Two board seats are open this year.

Recognizing that a pandemic, remote learning, stay-at-home rules, and an overreliance on technology has taken a toll on schoolchildren, East Hampton High School held its fifth annual forum on addiction last week, at which presenters addressed substance abuse and screen addiction.

A spring-themed party, "High School Musical Jr.," Comic Book Day, and more for kids and teens.

The region’s two smallest school districts, Wainscott and Sagaponack, are once again proposing over-the-tax-cap budgets, with rising costs primarily attributed to enrollment changes.

Acknowledging that bilingualism can play a vital role in encouraging flexibility of mind and empathy within a multicultural community, Project Most is now offering Spanish language classes for students in kindergarten through fourth grade.

The Bridgehampton School on Wednesday warned families about a troublesome TikTok account called "bhssecretspy" that has been "disseminating videos that are derogatory in nature," according to an email from Michael Miller, the school principal.

Elijah Jones, a middle schooler who found his way to the cello while in fourth grade at the John M. Marshall Elementary School, will play at Carnegie Hall on Sunday with the Metropolitan Youth Orchestra.

Appreciating Moms in May

The East Hampton Library has lined up crafts for kids and teens that will be sure to impress their moms, just in time for Mother’s Day, which is Sunday, May 8.

Kids in grades six through eight can make pounded-flower handkerchiefs on Tuesday from 4 to 5 p.m., using fresh flowers and a hammer. On Wednesday, children ages 3 to 6 can make sunshine-theme cards from 4 to 5 p.m., and next Thursday, kids ages 7 to 10 can take a turn, making pop-up Mother’s Day cards, also from 4 to 5 p.m.

Springs School District voters will elect two new board members from among four candidates on May 17 after two sitting board members opted not to run for re-election. The race will be the only contested one on the eastern part of the South Fork this year, while two districts, Sag Harbor and Montauk, are facing a shortage of potential board members.

In Springs, the candidates are Summer Romeo, Hella Drew, Emma Field, and Erik Fredrickson. Ms. Drew ran for a board seat last year but was not elected. Dave Conlon and Amy Rivera are not seeking re-election.

Not only have Abigail Corish and Eve Iulo spent many hours volunteering, but their commitment to academics has also paid off. Abigail and Eve have earned the ranks of valedictorian and salutatorian, respectively, of the class of 2022 at Pierson High School in Sag Harbor.

Springs educators and administrators are hoping voters will say "yes" to a proposal for a new playground geared toward kindergarteners and first graders. A preview of the playground design was offered on Tuesday.

Talking to young people about sex and related issues is rarely easy, but a new series of programs hosted by OLA and Planned Parenthood aims to change that.

Springs Adopts 2022-23 Budget

On May 17, voters in Springs will cast their ballots for or against a $32,888,886 spending plan that stays within New York State’s cap on tax-levy increases.

The school board adopted that budget proposal at its April 12 special meeting. The year-over-year spending increase is $2.088 million, or 6.78 percent. The associated tax-levy increase is 5.46 percent. According to budget documents shared last week, if approved, the school tax on a house with a market value of approximately $1 million would rise by about $366.

Waking “Sleeping Beauty”

The Hampton Ballet Theatre School will perform “Sleeping Beauty,” featuring talented students alongside professional dancers, plus original choreography and hand-sewn costumes, for four shows starting on Friday, April 29.

Finding itself at least $300,000 short on revenue, the Eleanor Whitmore Early Childhood Center petitioned the East Hampton School District to add $250,000 to its upcoming budget vote to support day care and prekindergarten for its 100 students, most of whom will one day attend school in East Hampton.

East Hampton High School has a track record of taking proactive steps to protect the health of its students, addressing topics such as vaping and mental wellbeing in recent years. Now, with administrators reporting more and more students struggling with substance abuse and addiction to electronic devices, they are again tackling difficult thorny issues with openness and the help of experts.