More Music

       The beat goes on at the Amagansett Library on Saturday night, as teen music month continues with performances by Skylar Kelleher, Supply Side, and Spectors. Ms. Kelleher, a singer-songwriter, will play originals and covers. Supply Side, which includes members of the East Hampton High School Jazz Band, will do the same, and Spectors will be making their debut, playing good old rock ’n’ roll.

       The music will run from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Performances, which are co-sponsored by Crossroads Music, will continue on Saturdays through the end of the month. Soft drinks are provided free of charge.

       Younger kids and their parents may want to stop by the library that day at 3:30 for a penguin story and craft time. Advance registration has been requested for both programs.

It’s a Wrap

       Chicken burritos will be on the menu at the Children’s Museum of the East End in Bridgehampton on Saturday. During a cooking class from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m., kids will prepare their own burritos and guacamole and salsa to accompany them. The cost is $25, or $15 for members. Would-be chefs have been asked to register in advance.

Hat Trick

       Children don’t need to know how to sew to make fleece hats on Wednesday at the East Hampton Library. Those 4 and older can use fleece and yarn to create a hat that will keep them warm all winter. The program runs from 4 to 5 p.m., and advance sign-up has been requested.

Talk to the Animals

       The South Fork Natural History Museum in Bridgehampton will introduce kids to animals in and out of the museum this weekend. On Saturday at 10 a.m., children will have a chance to help feed the museum’s various creatures while also learning something about them and their diets.

       A family seal walk is on the agenda on Sunday at 2 p.m., when a museum representative will lead a trek to the Montauk spot where seals tend to sun themselves on their favorite boulders. Reservations are required for both programs. Binoculars or spotting scopes have been recommended for the latter.

      At the monthly meeting of the Springs School Board Monday night, its members unanimously gave their support to using $65,000 from the district’s repair reserve fund to replace an aging boiler and a defunct bridge on the school playground.

       The board also voted to begin a contract with Lime Energy, a national provider of renewable energy solutions and energy efficiency strategies, to upgrade the district’s lighting fixtures — a move that could lower the district’s energy bills in the years to come.

       In other news, the board voted to continue Camp Invention, a science enrichment program that ran as a weeklong pilot with 62 children last August. Though the dates have not been set for the coming summer, early registrants can expect to pay $245 in tuition, with discounts offered to siblings.

       Earlier Monday night, John Grant, who presided over the meeting since Elizabeth Mendelman, the board president, was on vacation, called the newly revamped website “a big improvement,” referring to prior complaints that it was woefully out of date. “If you haven’t checked the website, I encourage you to do so. It will stay fresh and current,” he said.

       To ensure that it remains so, the board agreed to pay Kimberly Belkin, an independent consultant, $3,265 to work as a writer and part-time facilitator.

       John Finello, the district superintendent, said the school’s first site-based committee met for the first time on Jan. 7. Increasing parental involvement topped its list of priorities. Timothy Frazier, a board member, asked that minutes from future committee meetings be posted on the website in a timely manner.

       The board approved a maternity leave request by Crystal Reiner, a special education teacher, effective Jan. 28. She is expected to return on March 17. The board appointed Sarah Dunkirk as an English as a second language teacher, effective Jan. 1, at an annual salary of $27,214.

       Board members accepted the resignation of Cheryl Ann George, a school bus driver, effective Dec. 20. They simultaneously approved the hiring of Frances Figueroa as a full-time bus driver at a salary of $31,319 plus benefits.

       Also at the meeting, Lisa Matz, the PTA president, said that a recently planned skate night at the Buckskill Winter Club in East Hampton had been canceled because of rain. The new date is Feb. 8 from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Skate rentals will be free, and pizza, popcorn, and beverages will be sold. In addition, the annual Scholastic book fair is planned for Feb. 25 to March 4.

       At every meeting, Eric Casale, the principal, updates the audience concerning any changes in enrollment. Over the past six weeks, the Springs School has seen a slight dip in its enrollment, with 717 students now enrolled in grades pre-K to eight.

       The next meeting is planned for Feb. 10 at 7 p.m.

The Circus Is Coming

      Advance tickets are on sale now for the Yankee Doodle Circus, which will visit Pierson High School in Sag Harbor for three shows on Feb. 1. Tickets for 1, 4, or 7 p.m. performances are $14.75 in advance for adults, and each one comes with two free tickets for kids 14 and under. They can be ordered at getcircustickets.com. At the door they cost $18 for adults and $6 for children.

       The circus shows are presented by the Teachers Association of Sag Harbor and will raise money for the Pierson High School scholarship fund.

Knots and More

       From knots to erosion to seals, young naturalists will find plenty to keep them busy this weekend through the South Fork Natural History Museum in Bridgehampton. On Saturday at 10 a.m., Tyler Armstrong will lead a beach erosion lab for kids 5 to 7. Participants will experiment with magnetic sand and models of glaciers, rain, and windstorms as they learn about how the elements change our landscape. There is a $3 materials fee in addition to museum entry.

       Later that day, at 1 p.m., Capts. Mark Tompkins and Bob Sullivan of Sag Harbor Sailing will head up a knot-tying workshop at 1 p.m. for children 6 and older and adults. A family seal walk in Montauk on Sunday at noon will round out the weekend’s offerings. With luck, walkers will have a chance to see the seals resting on the rocks near Montauk Point on this half-mile walk. Binoculars or a spotting scope have been suggested. Reservations are required for all SoFo events.

Birds and Waffles

       Children will make bird feeder mobiles on Saturday and waffles on Sunday at the Children’s Museum of the East End in Bridgehampton. The mobile workshop, on Saturday at 10:30 a.m., will begin with a reading of Keith Baker’s “No Two Alike.” After that, kids will put together a bird feeder that they can hang outside. The cost is $18, or $7 for museum members.

       Waffles are on the menu on Sunday at 10 a.m., and kids will make them themselves. The buy-in: $18, or $5 for members.

Recycled Art

       Stuff found around East Hampton will be the medium for a recycled collage art workshop on Saturday from 2 to 3 p.m. at the East Hampton Library. Joyce Raimondo will lead children 4 and older as they make a collage about East Hampton.

       Kids in the same age group can use cookie sheets, scrap paper, and glue to make a magnetic bulletin board on Wednesday from 4 to 5 p.m. Those under 7 should be accompanied by an adult. Advance registration has been requested for both programs.

Vacation Theater Camp

       Looking ahead to the February break, the Bay Street Theatre in Sag Harbor will again offer a theater camp for 8 to 12-year-olds each day from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Led by Bethany Dellapolla, an actress and singer, it will include acting, singing, dance, and performance instruction and will culminate in a performance for family and friends. The cost is $385 per child.

       Early registration with the theater has been suggested, as camp size is limited and spaces usually fill up early.

    If legislation jointly introduced in Albany this week by Assemblyman Fred W. Thiele Jr. and Senator Kenneth P. LaValle passes and becomes part of the state budget on April 1, several local school districts stand to benefit substantially.

    The legislation would put an end to the so-called “gap elimination adjustment,” which was enacted a few years ago at the height of the recession to counteract cuts in state aid to schools, as part of a $10 billion budget deficit.

    With Governor Andrew Cuomo now projecting a $2 billion surplus for New York, Mr. Thiele and Mr. LaValle hope to return some of that money into school coffers.

    “The theory being, that we had to do that adjustment when we had a deficit,” said Mr. Thiele. “But if we don’t have a deficit anymore, why are we still taking this money from schools?”

     “It’s real money,” he continued. “As school districts have to deal with things like the property tax cap and unfunded mandates and the Common Core, if the state has a surplus, tax cuts and freezes are good, but we shouldn’t be paying for them with funding for education.”

    According to estimates provided by Mr. Thiele and Mr. LaValle, if their proposal passes, East Hampton would receive $218,265 this year and $436,531 by 2015. Amagansett would get $17,584 in 2014 and $35,167 in 2015, Springs would get $82,808 in 2014 and $165,616 in 2015, and Sag Harbor would receive $120,698 in 2014 and $241,395 in 2015.

    Bridgehampton would receive $33,852 this year and $67,703 in 2015, and Montauk would receive $45,523 in 2014 and $91,046 in 2015.

    The proposed legislation was welcome news to school administrators, particularly as annual budgets are under review and districts are forced to do more with less.

    “I am supportive of any increases in funding that will help us to improve the quality of education for students,” said Richard J. Burns, the superintendent of the East Hampton School District

Student Art Galore

    Families can tour the Parrish Art Museum’s 2014 Student Exhibition and create their own artwork during a family fun night to celebrate the show tomorrow from 5 to 7 p.m. The celebration is free with museum admission, and reservations are not required. The exhibition includes work by more than 1,000 students from Montauk to Brookhaven. It will be on view in Water Mill through March 2.

Skateboarding Session

    Got a skateboard for Christmas but haven’t had a chance to use it? Dreaming of the days when the skate park will finally be cleared of snow and ice?

    Tomorrow at 4 p.m. at the Amagansett Library, Khanh Ngo of Khanh Sports in East Hampton will talk skateboarding with kids in fourth through eighth grades. He’ll cover tricks, safety, maintenance, and trends, while also answering questions from participants. Advance registration has been requested. Questions can be submitted in advance to [email protected].

    Those who stop by the library Sunday and Feb. 16 at 1:30 p.m. can try their hands at origami while getting tips on an easy form and one that’s a little more complicated. The drop-in program is intended for those in first grade and above.

Blue Duck Valentine

    Plain valentine cookies from the Blue Duck Bakery will be on hand during a workshop on Saturday from 11 a.m. to noon at Guild Hall. Your job, should you choose to accept it, will be to decorate them. The cost is $10, or $8 for museum members.

    Also on Saturday, from noon to 5 p.m., families with kids in kindergarten through eighth grade can drop by the museum and get creative during a free open studio. Looking ahead, Guild Hall will offer art classes every weekday during the next school break, from Feb. 17 to 21, for the same age group. Classes will run from 10 to 11:30 a.m. and cost $25 per class, per child, or $23 for members. Advance registration is required.

Happy Hand-Sewing

    Children 6 to 10 will sew valentine sachets and pillows by hand during a workshop on Saturday at the Children’s Museum of the East End in Bridgehampton. The session costs $15, or $5 for members.

    Families can make scented valentines using essential oils in a workshop at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday. The cost is $18, $7 for members.

    Tomorrow night, Susan Verde will read from her book “The Museum” during a pizza and pajama party starting at 6 p.m. It’s free for members, $10 for others. Reservations have been suggested; pajamas are optional.

Yoga Storytime

    Susan Verde will be at the East Hampton Library on Saturday for a Storytime Yoga session for kids only, so don’t even think about it, parents. Participants 5 and older will listen to a story while they practice yoga poses and breaths from 1:30 to 2:15 p.m.

    Aspiring filmmakers in 6th through 12th grades will gather at the library on Sunday from 1 to 2:30 p.m. and use their talents to earn community service credits by making a public service announcement for an upcoming library program. They’ve been asked to take their smartphones, iPads, or other video cameras.

    A Valentine’s Day story time and craft is on the schedule for Tuesday from 4 to 5 p.m. for kids 4 to 6 with an adult. Reservations have been requested for all library programs.

Chocolatey Library

    In the lead-up to Valentine’s Day, the Hampton Library in Bridgehampton will have two drop-in programs to get kids in the spirit and another having to do with that most beloved valentine sweet, chocolate.

    Kids in seventh grade and above can make duct tape valentine flowers through Saturday, then turn their attention to valentine cards Saturday through Friday, Feb. 14. Those 4 and older can stop by to make their own valentine cards tomorrow through Sunday.

    The library will have a chocolate fondue fountain in operation during a program for teens on Saturday at 1 p.m. On Sunday at 2:30 p.m., it’s teatime, when kids 4 and older can enjoy a story, treats, and tea.

    Children 8 to 12 years old can get tips on making rubber band bracelets on Wednesday at 7 p.m. Advance sign-up has been requested for all programs.

Vacation Camp

       School is out next week, but kids who aren’t headed to warmer places or ski holidays don’t have to stay home. The Y.M.C.A. East Hampton RECenter still has space available in its February vacation camp for kids 5 to 12. Kids will spend their days swimming, doing arts and crafts, working on team-building exercises, and more, with a possible field trip thrown in, too.

       And get this, working parents: The camp runs from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, Feb. 21. Campers can sign up for some of the days or all five. The cost is $65 for a day, with a discount for additional days. Those who sign up for the full week will pay $275. Advance registration at the Y is a must, as the camp will run only if enough campers enroll.

For Break Week

       The East Hampton Town Recreation Department is offering another vacation-week option for kids in kindergarten through sixth grade who are town residents, and it’s free. A morning recreation program that will include games, sports, and arts and crafts will be held Tuesday through Friday, Feb. 21, from 9 a.m. to noon at either the John M. Marshall Elementary School in East Hampton or the Montauk School.

       Parents can register their children at either school on the first day of the program. Children should be sent with a light snack and must be picked up promptly at noon, a program flier says.

On Peaceful Planet

       A Peaceful Planet yoga camp for 5 to 11-year-olds might keep kids of a certain temperament blissfully occupied for three mornings next week. Young yogis will gather at the Goat on a Boat Puppet Theatre in Sag Harbor on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, Feb. 21, from 9 a.m. to noon, for yoga games and challenges, story time, and crafts that will help teach them “simple meditations, breath work, and self-calming techniques.” Participants should take their own mats or can purchase them from Peaceful Planet at $20 each. The cost per day is $50. Space is limited, and advance registration, at peacefulplanetyoga.com, is a must.

       Looking ahead a few weeks, Peaceful Planet will lead a glow-in-the-dark yoga session on March 1 from 6 to 8:15 p.m., giving parents of kids 3 to 10 a little peace of their own in the evening. The cost is $25 per child, $15 for an additional sibling, and $10 for a second sibling.

Drum Circle

       So tired of winter you could scream? Why not beat a drum instead? The Amagansett Library will host a drum circle for adults and kids 9 and older on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. Attendees can learn some basics of the African djembe with Jerome Liggon, a drummer, or just enjoy the rhythms.

       Then on Sunday, for something a little more subdued, adults and kids in first grade and above can stop by at 1:30 p.m. to do some origami. Reservations have been requested for the drum circle, but not the origami session.

Ye Olde New England

       Brad Shur and Chris Monti will share stories and songs from old New England in a program for all ages at the Goat on a Boat Puppet Theatre on Saturday at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. Their show will introduce kids to “a giant sailor, a fashionable bear, and the world’s largest wheel of cheese,” the theater promises. Tickets cost $12, $10 for grandparents and theater members, and $8 for additional children or those under 3.

Lessons in Pet Care

       Children begging for a dog or cat can learn what it means to take care of a pet during a pet care seminar on Saturday at the Children’s Museum of the East End in Bridgehampton. Maria Mora of the Southampton Animal Shelter will bring a dog with her for this free 10 a.m. workshop for kids 4 and older.

       At 10:30 that morning, children 3 to 6 can make Chinese dumplings with their parents. The cost is $22, or $10 for members of the museum.

       A weaving workshop on Monday from 10 a.m. to noon will have kids weaving with hand-dyed fabrics and recycled T-shirts — using hula hoops as their looms! Parents can stay to take part but are not required to do so.

       The same goes for a plaster casting and sculpture class led by Roisin Bateman on Friday, Feb. 21, from 10 a.m. to noon. The two drop-off workshops are for 7 to 10-year-olds and cost $20 per session, or $10 for members.

African Art Adventure

       Joyce Raimondo will have kids 4 and older painting like Picasso on Tuesday and heading out on an African art “adventure” on Friday, Feb. 21, at the East Hampton Library. On Tuesday, young artists will look at some of the many faces Picasso painted, and then use oil pastels and paint to make one of their own. On Friday, Feb. 21, they will use African animal masks as inspiration for their own masks made of paper, beads, and feathers.

       Cupcakes will be on the menu at the library on Wednesday, when children 4 and older will have a chance to decorate “Despicable Me” minion cupcakes to take home. All three of the above programs run from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m.

       Next Thursday from 1:30 to 2:15 p.m., children 5 and older can listen to stories as they learn some yoga moves and poses from Susan Verde, a kids yoga instructor and author. This is a kids-only program, so adults will have to busy themselves elsewhere.

Critters in Winter

       How do animals take care of themselves in the winter? Crystal Possehl will help 3 to 5-year-olds answer that question on Saturday at the South Fork Natural History Museum in Bridgehampton as they listen to a story and then head outside to look for signs of animals that are active even in these coldest months of the year. The program starts at 10 a.m. Advance sign-up is required.

Puppets by Katie

       Also on Saturday, Katie’s Puppets will pay a visit to the Montauk Library from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m., and after the show, kids can make their own puppets. Older children who need community service credits can earn them by helping younger ones with the craft. Arrangements should be made in advance at the library. The show is free.

       As local school districts begin weighing annual budgets, the Springs School announced on Monday night that it will stay under the 1.46-percent tax-levy cap for the 2014-15 academic year.

       Thomas Primiano, the district’s treasurer, led a presentation to a packed house of teachers and parents, explaining that the state-mandated 2-percent tax cap will actually be 1.46 percent, to match the 2013 consumer price index. (The cap is either 2 percent or tied to the C.P.I., whichever is lower.) Because of certain exemptions, he expects the tax levy to increase by up to 3.29 percent.

       “We plan on coming in at the cap or under,” Mr. Primiano elaborated yesterday.  “As far as maintaining programs, we don’t plan on making any cuts. When rainy days do come, it won’t be as easy to do, but we’re hoping to stave them off for as long as possible.”

       Speaking of the district’s fund balance, he said that approximately $600,000 would be used to keep the tax levy under the cap. “The not-so-great news is that we are using the fund balance to stay under that cap,” said Mr. Primiano. “Last year we applied $700,000, and this year we will need to continue to apply fund balance.”

       In terms of budget goals, the school hopes to expand its technology inventory, utilizing newly increased broadband capacity, and aims to give all students access to their own Google Chromebook. Springs hopes to invest in 150 additional Chromebooks, each at a cost of around $300.

       In total, the technology budget is expected to go up by more than $65,000. Transportation is projected to rise by more than $30,000, due to additional ridership requirements, with buildings and grounds seeing an increase of more than $12,000. 

       Earlier in Monday’s meeting two teachers, Sue Ellen O’Connor and Margaret Thompson, led a well-received presentation about the school’s annual opera production, complete with a selection sung by cast members.

       In other news, the Greater East Hampton Education Foundation, a local nonprofit, has awarded two grants to Springs teachers following a competitive application process. Ms. O’Connor won a $2,000 grant to help expand the animation program, while Danielle Hamilton received $1,200 to expand a reading program.

       The school board has appointed an architecture firm, Burton, Behrendt and Smith, to devise a master plan around the best use of space. With a growing student population, Roger Smith, an architect, outlined general ways in which the school could be more efficient in terms of its use of resources. A full plan is forthcoming.

       A second budget workshop is planned for Feb. 26 at 7 p.m., when the board will tackle items related to instructional programs, co-curricular activities, interscholastic athletics, and field trips. A third and final session is planned for March 10, when the board will review items related to tuition, the Board of Cooperative Educational Services, employee benefits, administration, and the projected budget and tax rate.

       During Tuesday night’s three-hour budget workshop, the East Hampton School Board announced the appointment of a new assistant principal at the John M. Marshall Elementary School.

       Following a comprehensive search, Dennis Sullivan, who last served as the administrative dean for the South Huntington School District, will assume his new post following next week’s February recess. Keith Malsky, the current assistant principal, announced his unexpected retirement early last month. Tomorrow is his last day.

       “We’re thrilled to have you here,” Richard Burns, the district superintendent, said during the meeting.

       “I’m excited to be here and look forward to being part of a great educational team,” said Mr. Sullivan, who holds both bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Stony Brook University. A resident of Hampton Bays, he is enrolled in a doctoral program at Dowling College.

       Prior to working in South Huntington, Mr. Sullivan spent eight years in the Hampton Bays public schools as both an elementary school math specialist and a middle school social studies teacher. Before becoming an educator, Mr. Sullivan worked as a Suffolk County deputy sheriff.

       Mr. Sullivan joins Beth Doyle, John Marshall’s principal, who will begin a maternity leave in the spring. In an email to parents last month, she assured them that she would be gone for six weeks, “barring any medical complications.”

       Shortly after announcing the hiring, the board began a line-by-line dissection of the budget.

       Patricia Hope, the board president, called it a “painstaking and agonizing process for everyone involved.”

       Though numbers are still being finalized, she estimated that the overall 2014-15 budget would likely involve some $1.2 million in cuts districtwide, given the state-mandated 2-percent tax increase cap.

       “Personally, I would like to see us come in under the cap one more time,” Ms. Hope said yesterday. “But I don’t know if that’s going to be possible.”

       On Tuesday night, the board reviewed budget lines for both the high school principal and assistant superintendent’s offices. The high school principal’s proposed budget is $451,599 — a nearly 5-percent increase over last year’s. The assistant superintendent’s proposed budget is $297,333 — a 4.3-percent increase.

       But with little left to cut and department heads defending the need for textbook purchases, the board spent the bulk of the meeting wrangling over relatively small amounts.

       Among the bigger-ticket items, a $2,699 vertical metal band saw, requested by the technology department, was deemed excessive, as was the $1,200 requested by the English department for 500 packages of short-response Scantron answer sheets. In addition, Ms. Hope called a $5,500 wireless sound system for the annual spring musical “exorbitant.”

       Education conferences were also a main focus of possible cuts, with Ms. Hope explaining a newly instituted policy. “In the current tax-cap landscape, the new approach is turnkey. Instead of four people going, one goes and runs a workshop for other teachers,” she said. “Over the years, teachers take turns going. It’s not the best thing to do, but considering time, space, staff, and money, it’s the best way.”

       One big-ticket proposed addition is $20,000 for increased mental health services. Adam Fine, the high school’s principal, said he was hoping to take the lead in helping ramp up local mental health services — including the creation of a mobile crisis unit and the potential hiring of a part-time psychiatric nurse. Mr. Fine said the need was acute, with three students requiring hospitalization over the past two weeks. He also discussed the possibility of increased state aid, in addition to joining forces with Southampton Hospital, East Hampton Town, and local nonprofits to provide a greater array of resources.

       Regarding languages, the board also weighed whether to reinstitute American Sign Language and whether the money was available for expanding a Chinese program, which is now offered online. But with a 4.9-percent increase in the high school budget, Jackie Lowey, a board member, along with several others, said that something had to give.

       As talk turned to increased cuts, many expressed frustration.

       “I don’t see how we can continue to function as a district and how we can do it and be viable and continue to offer such programs,” Arthur Goldman, a high school teacher, said.

       “This year is the breaking point,” concluded Richard Wilson, a board member.

       The next budget workshop is planned for Feb. 25 from 6 to 8 p.m.

Dance Party

       Families can get their groove on tomorrow when the Parrish Art Museum in Water Mill hosts a D.J. dance party for families from 5 to 7 p.m. The A&G Dance Company will teach hip-hop moves and give a performance to the music of Adam Baranello, and everybody will be invited to add their “tags” to a collaborative graffiti-style mural. Visitors can also tour the 2014 student exhibition, which is on view in the museum’s galleries. The evening is free with museum admission, but advance reservations at parrishart.org have been suggested.

Hao Bang Ah Horse!

       This is the Chinese Year of the Horse, and on Saturday at the Goat on a Boat Puppet Theatre in Sag Harbor, Chinese Theatre Works will introduce audiences to the horse and other animals of the Chinese zodiac, as well as some Chinese New Year customs in a show called “Hao Bang Ah Horse!”

       The show includes hand puppets based on popular Chinese songs or expressions. Hao bang ah, for example, means “great” or “well done.” Some parts of the program will be in Chinese with English translations. “Sing-alongs, games, and audience participation and post-show hands-on demonstrations make the Chinese cultural experience and language learning accessible to even the youngest audience members,” a release said. Performances will be at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. Tickets cost $12, $10 for members and grandparents, and $8 for siblings or children under 3.

Plaster, Fossils, Clay

       Plaster casting, fossil making, and sawdust clay are on the schedule at the Children’s Museum of the East End in Bridgehampton this week. Tomorrow from 10 a.m. to noon, Roisin Bateman will work with 7 to 10-year-olds to make plaster hand casts, and then use those to make sculptures. The cost is $20, or $10 for members. Kids 6 to 10 can make their own “fossils” during a workshop on Saturday from 10 a.m. to noon. This one, too, is a drop-off class, and costs $15, $5 for members. Children 3 to 6 will make their own versions of Play-Doh with sawdust during a workshop on Saturday morning from 10:30 to 11:15. The cost is $18, $7 for members. Adult assistance will be required. Reservations are a must for all programs.

Nests for Bluebirds

       Visitors to the South Fork Natural History Museum in Bridgehampton will learn about birds and salamanders this weekend. On Saturday at 10 a.m., kids 7 to 12 can build a bluebird nest box with Nicole Cummings. Ms. Cummings will talk about why natural nesting sites for eastern bluebirds have been disappearing and tell kids what they can do to help. They will be able to take home their nesting boxes after the program, which includes a $10 materials fee in addition to the cost of museum entry.

       Andy Sabin will lead a family walk in search of the eastern tiger salamander on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. “Don’t miss a rare opportunity to see this salamander as it makes its way to the pond to mate and to lay its eggs,” the museum says. The walk is dependent on weather: Heavy rain is a must, and too much snow would cancel the event. Participants have been asked to wear rain boots and take a flashlight. Younger children will learn about winter birds and go outside to look for some during a program on Sunday at 10 a.m. with Lindsey Rohrbach. This is for 3 to 5-year-olds, who will make a craft, too. There is a $3 materials fee. Advance sign-up is required for all programs.

Pet Programs

       Pets will be the subject of a story and craft time at the Amagansett Library on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. At the East Hampton Library on Tuesday, kids 4 to 6 can turn their attention to dogs during a story and craft session from 4 to 5 p.m. Next Thursday, second through fourth graders can test their math skills during a math bee from 4 to 5 p.m. at the East Hampton Library. And a reminder: For kids looking to get out of the house today, Susan Verde will lead a yoga session at the library for children 5 and up (no adults) from 1:30 to 2:15 p.m.

       It was death by a thousand cuts during the East Hampton School Board’s Tuesday evening budget workshop, as members of the board pored over items related to English as a second language, East Hampton Middle School, and the John M. Marshall Elementary School during a three-hour dissection of the budget.

       “We can’t say we’re doing line-by-line if we’re not doing line-by-line,” Patricia Hope, the board’s president, said on the phone yesterday morning. Armed with data, she said she spent hours analyzing each of the budget documents in advance of the meeting.

       Though open to the public, only the press was in attendance.

       Although numbers are still being finalized, she estimated that the overall 2014-15 budget would likely involve some $1.2 million in cuts district-wide, given the state-mandated 2-percent cap on property tax increases.

       District-wide, board members looked at consolidating graduation ceremonies as a possible avenue for increased cost-savings.

       Charles Soriano, the principal of East Hampton Middle School, presented his proposed $167,013 department budget, which does not include salaries and benefits. It marks a 25-percent, or $33,489, increase over last year’s budget of $133,523.

       At the middle school, nearly $1,000 was budgeted for a graduation sound system, with another $400 for flowers and $2,150 for white folding chairs. Each of the district’s three schools includes similar line items for individual graduation ceremonies, for kindergarteners, fifth graders, eighth graders, and high school seniors.

       Ms. Hope suggested that future ceremonies be condensed, with everyone using the same tent and resources at East Hampton High School. One proposed solution would be for the John M. Marshall Elementary School’s fifth graders to graduate on Thursday morning, with eighth graders graduating that evening. The high school graduation is now scheduled for Friday, June 27.

       “We’re buying chairs four times, the sound system four times,” said Ms. Hope.

       “It’s costly but there’s something nice about having it on the front lawn,” said Dr. Soriano, who called himself a traditionalist. “It’s important to graduate from the school that you attended. Kids attach memories to those events. Certainly you could go the other route and it would be fine. But there’s something very nice about it.”

       “It is nice,” said Ms. Hope.

       “We want to hear from the public what they think about it,” said J.P. Foster, a board member.

       A $30,707 character-education program in the middle school budget called Why Try, which works to build resiliency, drew criticism from board members.

        “I’m not sold on this,” said Jackie Lowey, a board member.

        “These little tiny chunks add up to a teacher’s salary,” said Robert Tymann, the assistant superintendent. “We have to get down to the tax cap. Nobody wants to cut anything. We want to keep it all. Those are the decisions that we’re making now. By the time we’re done with this packet, we will have a teacher’s salary.”

       During the meeting, requests for materials and supplies were typically cut between 10 and 15 percent. Stickers, bookmarks, and classroom decorations drew the ire of board members. At John Marshall, two requests for Franklin Covey calendar refills (each at a cost of $42.07) and $123.76 for helium and balloons for graduation were summarily axed. Kindergarten class trips to a North Fork pumpkin patch and King Kullen were also questioned, given both the expense and subsequent reduction in instructional time.

       Beth Doyle, John Marshall’s principal, presented a proposed department budget of $200,253 — an increase of nearly 6 percent, or $11,022, over last year’s budget of $189,231.

       This followed a presentation earlier in the meeting on the district’s English as a second language program by Elizabeth Reveiz, its director. The district now has 244 English language learners in kindergarten through 12th grade. More than 58 percent of them are at John Marshall, with the kindergarten boasting the largest E.S.L. population in the school. There are 28 E.S.L. students in the middle school this year and 76 at the high school.

       In total, Ms. Reveiz proposed a budget for the program of $35,216 — an increase of 23.2 percent or $6,630 over last year’s budget of $28,586. Most of the increase is attributable to a $10,000 increase in supplies for a new high school curriculum to meet the growing needs of its diverse learners.

       Half of the E.S.L. students at the high school are between the ages of 17 and 21, with many having experienced interrupted schooling in their home countries and hoping to catch up on credits in order to graduate. “New York State law says you have to educate them until they’re 21 or through 12th grade — whichever comes first,” Ms. Hope explained.

       The next budget workshop will be on March 11 from 6 to 8 p.m. in the district office on Long Lane. A regular school board meeting will be held there on Tuesday at 6:30 p.m.