November has been a month of thanks and giving all across the South Huntington School District! All of our schools are doing something to show gratitude, help out locally, and make the holidays a little brighter for families in our community. It’s also a great way to teach all of our students about the importance of helping others and giving back.

At Oakwood Primary Center, our kindergarten students performed their Thankful for Thanksgiving show for excited parents. Wearing Thanksgiving hats they created, our youngest students danced and sang several songs including The Turkey Tango. Oakwood, along with the PTA, held their annual “Tommy the Turkey” fundraiser. On display outside the main office, Tommy started with no feathers. Families and staff are asked to donate at least one dollar per feather to decorate Tommy. He’s looking pretty good right now. They’ve raised more than $800!  The money will be used to donate to families in need.

At Countrywood Primary Center, their goal was to collect $600 this year to purchase supermarket gift cards to distribute to families. Students were asked to bring in a cash donation of one to five dollars, or donate grocery gift cards.

Maplewood Intermediate School has been collecting donations for gift cards as well as accepting food items for breakfast - specifically cereal, oatmeal, granola, granola bars, pancake mix and syrup. Their goal is to donate breakfast items so families can enjoy Thanksgiving morning, along with a gift card for Thanksgiving dinner. Maplewood is also offering Holiday Helping Hands. Each student was given the Helping Hand form to bring home. Parents were asked to help their child pick five things they are grateful for this Thanksgiving and write one thing down on each finger. The completed Helping Hands were returned with $1 or any other donation amount and can be seen on display in Maplewood’s main hallway.  

Holiday Helping Hands can also be seen at Birchwood Intermediate School! The classes who collect the most donations will be entered into a raffle to win a special prize. The third through fifth graders have also worked hard to collect food donations for a tasty Thanksgiving breakfast.  Birchwood set a building-wide goal for their food donations and all classes will win a prize if the building goal is reached.

At Silas Wood Sixth Grade Center, they spent November collecting non-perishable foods for their annual Thanksgiving Food Drive. Specifically, Silas Wood was asking for pasta, rice, mac-and-cheese, cake mix, icing, pudding mix, instant potatoes, and boxes of stuffing along with cans of gravy, green beans and corn to include in boxes that are distributed to help make a yummy Thanksgiving feast. The homeroom that gives the most wins a Bowling Trip Grand Prize!

Stimson Middle School’s staff and students have been putting in a lot of effort this month to express their gratitude and help others this Thanksgiving. Their “Turkey Tom” is abundant with feathers that came in with a monetary donation. Yellow donation bins have been in the main lobby all month for food donations for the care packages they’ll put together for community families in need. In addition to non-perishable foods, those care packages will also include sweet treats including hot chocolate, cookies and pumpkin-spice snacks, as well as household essentials like paper towels and dish soap. There’s also an electronic form for families to fill out to give a “thank you shoutout” to a favorite Stimson teacher!

Walt Whitman High School has been collecting money all month long to purchase gift cards to local supermarkets for Whitman families in need. The Wildcat Cares Food Pantry, which is open all school year, is extra busy during the holiday season. We’re grateful to the Life Skills students and staff that go grocery shopping for and stock the food pantry on a regular basis thanks to Stop and Shop’s generous donation, plus pack and distribute the care packages each week.  Also, a big thank you to the school clubs and community groups that make sure to donate a little extra to Wildcat Cares this time of year.    

We are thankful for our dedicated students, supportive families, and hardworking staff who make our district a special place to live and to learn. We send warm wishes for a Happy Thanksgiving to everyone in the South Huntington community filled with fun, food, family and friends!

Oakwood’s Kindergarteners worked so hard  practicing all the songs and dances for their Thanksgiving show, and we thank OW music teacher Ms. Morabito for working with our students and putting together this special event. 

Stimson staff and students have been putting in great effort to express their gratitude this holiday season. Every day, the donations continue to grow, along with the feathers of "Turkey Tom!”

Oakwood families and staff are asked to donate at least one dollar per feather to decorate Tommy the Turkey.

Holiday Helping Hands takes place at both Maplewood and Birchwood this season.