Education

As directed by Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo on Aug. 7, local school districts are holding information sessions to give parents and guardians a chance to ask questions about their reopening plans.

As the Covid-19 pandemic continues to impact all aspects of life, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo on Aug. 7 gave schools in New York State the green light to reopen, pending approval of their individual education plans and the scheduling of open comment sessions with parents and teachers.

Bus Agreement Extended

The Sag Harbor School Board last week signed an intermunicipal agreement with the Sagaponack School District to serve as the school bus provider taking Sagaponack students to their respective schools. An extension of a previous agreement, this means the 2020-21 school year will be the third that Sag Harbor is responsible for transporting all of Sagaponack's students.

Liz Joyce of Goat on a Boat Puppet Theater returns to Guild Hall on Wednesday for a performance of the Little Red Riding Hood fairy tale — with a twist.

Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo on Friday gave schools in New York State the green light to reopen, pending approval of their individual education plans and the scheduling of open comment sessions with parents and teachers.

For kids this week: a sci-fi movie screening, puppet shows, a Harry Potter trivia contest, and a really big paper dragon.

Forty-three student applications were received for the dual-language kindergarten program at the John M. Marshall Elementary School in East Hampton. Only 24 seats were available.

South Fork school district officials have been working nonstop over the last several weeks to determine reopening plans, which were due in to the state by July 31, but regardless of the details, all of the plans may as well have a big asterisk on the first page, because Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo is expected to make a big school-related announcement Friday.

The Sagaponack School has received so many new student inquiries over the last several weeks that the chief school administrator is searching for extra space to supplement the Little Red Schoolhouse's own classrooms.

The Bay Street Theater in Sag Harbor has announced a range of high-summer theater camps and single-day programs for kids and teens interested in learning or improving performance skills.

Art lessons at home, comedy for all ages, and guided meditation for teenagers

Parents who are interested in home schooling their children must submit written notice of their intent to do so by Aug. 1.

Drive-in movies, a puppetry camp, a teen beach cleanup, and other kids' activities are all coming up.

Updates from the Sag Harbor School District.

After surveying many of their families and realizing there are financial hardships among them, officials at the Ross School in East Hampton have made a pitch to the school's wider community for donations.

School officials in Amagansett, Montauk, Springs, East Hampton, Sag Harbor, and Southampton have all confirmed increased registrations of new students over the last few weeks.

Springs School officials have concluded that the district is short classrooms to be able to bring all students back while maintaining social distancing and keeping class sizes reasonable.

For many teens, there has been an increased pressure to socialize in seemingly Covid-risky situations that come from a "desire to see friends after being apart for so long." These quaran-teens face social isolation that can compound pre-existing mental health issues at an already chaotic age.

The Hayground School in Bridgehampton on Monday announced its plans for resuming in-person teaching and learning "in anticipation of a final decision the first week in August" expected to come from Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo regarding school attendance in general, school officials said this week.

The New York State Public High School Athletic Association postponed the start of fall sports for high schoolers by about a month, from Aug. 24 to Sept. 21, and canceled regional and state championship events.

The small prekindergarten through sixth-grade school will see enrollment jump from 75 to 150 as families who relocated to Amagansett in the midst of the pandemic confirm they plan to send their children there in the fall.

CMEE will officially reopen to the public on Aug. 3, a Monday. Families will be able to make online reservations for two-hour blocks of time. The museum has enriched its outdoor offerings with games like Giant Jenga and made its miniature golf course free with the price of admission. 

Did you know there's a flying trapeze school during the summer in Bridgehampton? Also: creative prompts for kids and virtual art studio tours.

The Sag Harbor School Board voted during a special meeting on July 2 to spend $341,000 to construct a new retaining wall behind the Sag Harbor Learning Center.

A return to in-person attendance at school in September is a real possibility and school officials here are hard at work putting plans into place for such a reopening, but whether it will happen remains to be seen as Covid-19 numbers continue to fluctuate.

High school students, particularly rising seniors, can get help preparing college essays and studying for the SAT.

The East Hampton Library is planning a virtual art exhibit to showcase the work of local teens, and has put out a call for entrants.

Robert Tymann and Tim Frazier have arrived at retirement on different career paths, but what they have in common is a commitment to education — and a commitment to staying local.

The theme of last weekend's high school graduation celebrations was pomp and strange circumstances, as the senior class of 2020 again did what it has had to do for the last four months — adapt.

Because of Covid-19 they all had to cover their faces, and many had to cover their heads from pouring rain. Traditions felt a little bit different, but then there were things that didn't change, like the decoration of graduation caps and the receipt of diplomas.

This week's offerings for kids and teens include Bingo, trivia, a drive-in movie, comedy classes, and story time.