Education

East Hampton School District officials on Tuesday unveiled a plan to put up a bond referendum in 2025 for significant repairs and upgrades to its facilities. A priority, so far, is a top-to-bottom overhaul of the high school auditorium.

The curtain rises Friday on Our Fabulous Variety Show's take on the classic "A Christmas Carol" story, starring a character called Jacob Marley McFly, lots of time-travel high jinks and ghosts of 1980s past, "and so much dancing," says one of its directors, Anita Boyer.

Sal Lifrieri, a retired New York City police detective who was a member of its hostage negotiation team, and a former security and intelligence director for the city's Office of Emergency Management, will share his knowledge on Wednesday at 6 p.m. in the library at East Hampton High School.

The Springs School Board received 33 applications for the district superintendent position and conducted preliminary virtual interviews with 11 candidates, the school board president, Barbara Dayton, said during the board's meeting on Tuesday.

The Amagansett School Board on Nov. 14 approved $190,000 in budget transfers to cover a salary payout to the outgoing district superintendent, Seth Turner, who resigned in October.

After months of hearing the Springs School teaching assistants decry unfairly low wages and mysterious pay cuts — and hearing other faculty members and parents rally around them — the Springs School Board on Nov. 7 approved an across-the-board raise of $6,420.

Students in the Springs School Journalism Club learned that Alexandra Vecchio, a Springs graduate, recently became a lawyer, and her sister, Sondra Vecchio, who is a science teacher at the school, helped arrange an interview with the club's members.

This weekend, the dancers of the Hampton Ballet Theatre School, ranging from tiny tots in tights to pre-professional ballerinas on pointe, will take the stage at Southampton High School once again for their annual production of "The Nutcracker." Also coming up: Gingerbread houses, kids' movies, Legos and crafts, and the return of the Bonac Lights festival at East Hampton High School.

The Montauk School Board is looking for a resident of the school district to fill out the time remaining in Tom Flight's board term. Mr. Flight was elected this month to the East Hampton Town Board and will be sworn in by the town clerk in January. His school board term expires June 30, 2024.

Bonac Lights returns for a third year starting Friday night, illuminating the holidays at East Hampton High School with outdoor displays and activities all to benefit the East Hampton Masons’ scholarship fund.

Public school districts on the South Fork are increasingly turning to retired police officers to fill critical security roles. “These are people who have children in the schools or have gone through the schools themselves, who know the community. They’re familiar faces, and they’re responsive,” said Adam Fine, the East Hampton School District superintendent.

Bridgehampton High School seniors and juniors returned Friday from a school-sponsored tour of four upstate college campuses. For many of them, it was the first time they’d ever set foot on a college campus. For all, school officials said, it was an inspirational and eye-opening experience, one that helped them visualize a place for themselves in the world of higher education.

Remember that longtime favorite community event, the Mary’s Marvelous gingerbread-house competition? Project Most is bringing it back this year, with kits available now for families to reserve at $30 apiece. Plus: a Harry Potter movie marathon, arts and crafts, an escape room for teens, story time, and more for kids and teens.

Springs School students report on recent exciting events leading up to Thanksgiving.

The Springs School Board canceled a public work session that was to be held Tuesday to put its search for a new superintendent “on fast forward,” the district superintendent, Debra Winter, said this week.

“We have exciting news,” the East Hampton Library’s young-adult department said on its website as it announced plans to expand the existing Y.A. room, which was last renovated about seven years ago.

Ahh, the joys of growing up — now told in musical form and performed by the young actors and musicians from South Fork Performing Arts this weekend in their production of "Dear Edwina Jr." Plus: Amber Waves at the Amagansett Library, escape rooms for teens, henna art in Montauk, kids' movies, and more.

Springs students report on their school's celebration of World Kindness Day.

The Montauk School District and its longtime architect, John Tanzi, are parting ways amicably as the district seeks a firm specializing in school architecture, according to Joshua Odom, Montauk’s superintendent. The school board voted in October to end the contract.

The art of sewing is enjoying a resurgence in popularity among young people thanks to the rise of Instagram, TikTok, and Pinterest, and Project Most is here for it. Plus: kids' movies, writing workshops, art and science activities, dinosaur fossils, and more.

Springs School students report the news. In this week's edition: a Veterans Day ceremony and a school dance.

A 51-year-old East Hampton man has been charged with multiple misdemeanor counts of endangering the welfare of a child after he allegedly made what the East Hampton School District called "an unauthorized stop" during his morning bus route on Wednesday, Nov. 1.

Preteens and teenagers interested in babysitting have two chances coming up to learn the do’s and don’ts of the job. Plus, Pizza and Pajama Night at CMEE, Battle of the Books meetings, Minecraft and other video games, and lots more for kids and teens.

Born out of a collaboration between the Plain Sight Project and the Sag Harbor Cinema, and buoyed by a $200,000 grant facilitated by Senator Chuck Schumer, a new school program is helping middle schoolers learn the history of slavery on the East End.

Springs students report news of the school.

At the East Hampton Middle School, the 471 brand-new lockers that were installed in September — replacing ones that were half the size and at least 40 years old — have gotten top grades from the students themselves.

Festivals, book clubs, arts and crafts, movies, and more coming up for kids and teens this week.

Halloween parades, spooky family fun, tricks, and lots of treats are in store this week in the lead-up to Halloween festivities on Tuesday.

The Springs School girls tennis team poured hard work, dedication, spirit, and diligence into its season this year.

Facing continued criticism from teaching assistants over what they say are unfairly low salaries — wages they also say were lowered without warning this year — the Springs School District has begun negotiating raises with the teaching assistants’ union, a year ahead of the usual schedule, while also performing a full audit of employee payroll.