The South Huntington School District officially launched its 100th anniversary celebration for the 2024-2025 school year at its school board meeting on Wednesday, September 4th.   Each month of this school year will showcase a number of special events that will highlight moments in the district’s 100 year history and pay homage to the generations of students, teachers, administrators, families, local leaders - ALL the people -  who have come before who have helped shape South Huntington into the school community that it is today.  The specially-formed 100th Anniversary Committee has been working on the project for the last 18 months.

The 100th anniversary theme will be included in the school’s traditional events including Homecoming Weekend and Winter Wonderland, and also new events created just for the centennial including a special South Huntington Day at Adventureland and the installation of a time capsule at Walt Whitman High School, both in the spring of next year.

The South Huntington Union Free School District was created on December 10, 1924 after a vote by 140 taxpayers (73 “yes” votes to 67 “no” votes) to merge South Huntington Common District #12 and West Hills Common District #13.  The vote took place because both districts needed more room for students due to the community’s growing population but the New York State Board of Education would not allow either district to build another school. In the beginning, the new district was often referred to only as District No. 13.  

Going back to the 1800s, New York has had “common” school districts and “union free” school districts.  Common districts don’t have legal authority to operate a high school and only provide an education up to eighth grade.  A “union free” school district results from a “union” of two or more common districts and is “free” from any restrictions that stop it from establishing a high school, and the district is run by its own Board of Education. The result of this merger was the construction of Central School on New York Avenue just north of Jericho Turnpike which opened in 1928.  That building is now the Whitman Atrium business complex behind the Staples shopping center.

The 100th anniversary events start off in October with Homecoming Weekend on October 18th with a carnival, bonfire, Powder Puff football game and fireworks at Walt Whitman High School. The next day features the Homecoming parade at 4 pm and football game at 6 pm.

In December, the district will highlight the centennial at its annual Winter Wonderland on December 1st at Stimson Middle School.  On December 10th, the actual anniversary date, the Board of Education will hold a special celebratory meeting at Walt Whitman High School in the PAC featuring presentations from all the schools in the district.  A festive reception will be held at Matteo’s on December 12th.

The festivities don’t end there.  Because this is a districtwide celebration, each school is putting together its own performance, exhibit or demonstration to be presented at Board of Education meetings throughout the year.  There’s a Family Fun weekend planned for the spring.  Friday, May 2nd is South Huntington Day at Adventureland in Farmingdale.  The park will close so that South Huntington families can all join together for an afternoon of fun.  On Sunday, May 4th there will be a picnic at Walt Whitman High School where a time capsule will be set in the ground near the newly-renovated athletic complex.  Each of the seven schools in the district will place its own mini time capsule in the larger one. The items are being selected by students.  Once the time capsule is buried, it will be marked with a special plaque indicating that the time capsule be opened in 50 years.  

The South Huntington Alumni Association has sponsored 100th anniversary banners that are now displayed on the exterior of all the district’s school buildings, plus commemorative pins and flags.  All other items are being paid for through fundraising efforts and community donations.

We’ll keep the school community updated on all these special events throughout the year as we celebrate this significant milestone!