Education

There’re still a few days left to wrap up those summer reading lists, grab your school supplies, and pick out those first-day outfits before the start of classes next week. Other activities for kids and teens include art projects, book clubs, science presentations, movies, and more.

School districts across the South Fork will welcome students back to their hallways and classrooms next week, in many cases with new classes and clubs on offer, recently hired teachers to meet and greet, sparkling facilities to explore, and new chances every day to make it a great academic year.

The fall season has already begun or soon will for a number of East Hampton High School's teams. Presumably, given the fact that eight of the 11 made the postseason in 2022, the prospects are likewise promising this year.

The ribbon-cutting ceremony for the newly renovated Bridgehampton Child Care and Recreational Center on Friday served as a venue for Gov. Kathy Hochul to underscore New York State’s $7 billion investment in making child care more affordable and accessible for working parents. The State Legislature is contributing $425,000 to the center’s $3.3 million overhaul, which saw the 70-year-old facility tripled in size up to 7,000 square feet, modernized, and equipped with amenities to support and encourage an underserved segment of youth in Bridgehampton and nearby areas.

Sag Harbor now has its own chapter of Moms Demand Action, an advocacy group that was formed the day after the mass school shooting in Sandy Hook, Conn., in December 2012. “We believe the power of this issue unifies us by gathering as a community with the unique resolve of mothers and caregivers,” said Meredith Burns, a Sag Harbor mom who is encouraging other parents to join the conversation.

Prestino the Magician will perform a magic show for an all-ages audience on Tuesday afternoon from 2 to 3 at the East Hampton Library. Plus: movies, arts and crafts, trivia night, giant games, and more on the calendar for kids and teens.

Brigid Collins, who has spent 16 years at the Montauk School as its assistant principal, summer school principal, and coordinator of curriculum and enrichment, has accepted a new role as superintendent of the Andes Central School District in upstate New York.

The Hamptons Observatory and the South Fork Natural History Museum are teaming up for a summer stargazing party on Wednesday. Plus: arts and crafts, a practice SAT exam for teens, summer reading celebrations, story time, and more for kids and teens.

Enrollment in the East Hampton School District is expected to decrease by 210 students over the next five years, a drop of about 12 percent from current enrollment levels. The analysis is tied to plummeting birth rates in Suffolk County over the last five to 10 years, particularly on the South Fork, where the rate is expected to remain low as the cost of housing suitable for families remains high.

An anonymous donor has pledged $54,500 to the Wainscott School so that the cash-strapped district can reinstate "specials," which are classes such as art, music, gym, and technology. Facing an austerity plan after the failure, twice, of a tax-cap-busting budget, Deborah Haab, the district superintendent, said it "will make a tremendous difference in the day-to-day operations, especially for the students, and the school itself."

Beginning with its Aug. 28 meeting, the Sag Harbor School Board will no longer take comments from online participants during its public-comment sessions. The change was made to align to the return of pre-Covid protocols. The meetings will continue to be live-streamed online.

The East Hampton Sportsmen's Alliance is hosting a family fishing trip at sunset on Tuesday aboard the Miss Montauk. Children under 17 can join the fun for free. Plus: The East Hampton Library's Children's Fair, stories and crafts, kids' movies, puppet shows, and more.