Education

The Bridgehampton School District’s 2021-2022 budget goes to a revote Tuesday, June 15, after its original 8.93-percent tax-levy increase was knocked down to 6.49 percent — still piercing the tax cap — when $400,000 of unanticipated income was discovered during a re-examination of the original spending plan.

Registration for summer academics in the East Hampton School District is coming up for high school students seeking to improve their grades and complete graduation requirements and for elementary and middle school students who need extra help in reading, math, or writing. All classes are held at the high school, running from July 5 through Aug. 5.

Despite criticism from several teachers last month, Springs School administrators are moving ahead with a plan to move from eight to nine class periods per day, starting in September.

Collages, Crafts, and Music

In sync with Guild Hall's newest exhibit, "Shipwrecks" by Alexis Rockman, there will be a family art workshop on Saturday from noon to 1:30 p.m. The theme is micro-plastic collages and the workshop is appropriate for children ages 4 and up. There will be similar events each Saturday through July 10. The registration fee is $50 for a family of four; $35 for families who are members of Guild Hall.

Bridgehampton School's fifth-grade book club battled a dragon over the past year and three months, though this particular creature wasn't the scaly, fire-breathing type from fantasy lore. It was worse. Their dragon went by the name Covid-19, and the battles played out in letters the students wrote that are on display at the Hampton Library.

Graduation season is upon us, which means not only lots of pomp and circumstance but also a chance to formally congratulate high school seniors on their accomplishments in a special issue of The Star on June 17.

Following new recommendations and a clarification from the Centers for Disease Control, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo announced that New York would modify its mask guidance to allow schools to opt out of requiring masks outside. And in general, virtually all Covid-19 restrictions can be lifted once 70 percent of adult New Yorkers have received at least one dose of the vaccine

The Bridgehampton School District has chosen to place the same over-the-tax-cap $20.66 million spending plan on the June 15 budget ballot, with school board members appealing to the community for a second chance at the supermajority of voter approval needed for it to pass.

On May 18, the Bridgehampton budget was just two votes shy of that supermajority. The final tally was 150 to 103, or just over 59-percent voter approval when 60-percent approval was required. The proposed tax-levy increase is 8.93 percent, with a $1.67 million increase in overall spending.

Audrey Smith, a Montauk School eighth-grader, and Daisy Pitches, who is in the seventh grade, have earned first place and a $1,000 prize in a national video competition that celebrates rural schools.

LTV has announced a new annual program to celebrate young people's creative and capable use of smartphones. From now through Nov. 1, for its "Fone Film Festival," LTV will accept submissions of short movies created via smartphone by those 18 years or younger.

In December, a film festival marathon on LTV's channel 20 will feature the films, which will continue to be broadcast throughout 2022.

"In true Covid fashion," reported Adam Fine, the East Hampton School District assistant superintendent, there was a Dumpster fire adjacent to the middle school at about 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday, "which kind of puts in perspective the entire year."

Fabulous Tapping

"Tap: The Rhythm Awakens" on Friday, June 11, and June 12 is the latest production from Our Fabulous Variety Show, its first stage show since December of 2019. To be held at the Children's Museum of the East End in Bridgehampton at 6:30 p.m. both days, student and adult dancers will pay tribute to the art and history of tap dance while celebrating each performer's own dance journey. 

Tickets are $15 and can be bought at the door, in advance by phone at 631-507-4603, or online at ourfabulousvarietyshow.org.