Education

East Hampton Middle School educators want their students to believe in themselves.

On her first day in office on Tuesday, New York State Gov. Kathy Hochul directed the state Health Department to institute a universal mask requirement for all children and adults in schools and an expanded testing protocol for all, and said she is also looking into the possibility of mandating vaccines for all school employees with an option to test out weekly.

The Springs School District is seeking comments from parents, students, staff, and community members on its updated code of conduct and safety plan, both of which have been posted on the district's website, springsschool.org. The deadline for comments is Monday, Sept. 20, when the school board is expected to vote on adopting the two policies.

Jason Hudy will round out Guild Hall's summer-long KidFest series with his "Mesmerizing Magic" show on Wednesday at 3 and 5 p.m. Mr. Hudy promises "cutting-edge magical entertainment that will draw you into the intricate world of illusion."

Guild Hall will present Johnny Peers and the Muttville Comix, "a slapstick comedy dog show like no other," on Wednesday at the Children's Museum of the East End. The show features more than a dozen rescue dogs who have also performed their tricks at Disneyland, the Big Apple Circus, and even the White House.

East Hampton High School students, families, and staff members can meet the new principal, Sara Smith, on Tuesday at 6 p.m. in the high school auditorium.

When school starts up again in September, Hope Hamilton will have quite the "how I spent my summer vacation" story to tell.

The East Hampton School Board is considering making Covid-19 vaccinations mandatory for students who play sports on district teams or take part in after-school activities, though some questions remain unanswered at this point.

The Sag Harbor School District and Mashashimuet Park appear to have settled their differences on the use of park facilities for student-athletes, reaching a tentative agreement on Friday that will ultimately have to be approved by both the school board and district voters.

A new approach to disciplinary action is on the horizon in the Springs School District, where administrators are looking to adopt "restorative practices" in which students themselves play a role in determining the outcome of incidents.

The Springs School District's construction management firm, Park East, reported Monday that there are still quite a few items left on its to-do list in the ongoing expansion and renovation project, but that it is on schedule and slated to be done before students return on Sept. 9.

The county's guidelines closely mirror those of the federal Centers for Disease Control and the American Academy of Pediatrics. They include universal mask wearing indoors for all, even those students and staff members who have already received vaccines; masks will not be required outdoors.