In continuing its mission to take history out of the textbooks by honoring local veterans, the Hampton Bays School District celebrated its 37th Flag Day on June 13 and paid tribute to the Honorable Patrick Gunn, Southampton Town justice. 

During the celebration, second graders spoke about Gunn’s life, read poems and sang patriotic songs, including Yankee Doodle and Fifty Nifty United States. Prior to the event, the students learned about the U.S. flag and its history.

Following the ceremony, a flag was raised to honor Gunn, who is the 82nd veteran to be honored by the district.

Gunn enlisted in the United States Navy shortly after high school and was assigned as an operations specialist to the Norfolk-based guided missile destroyer USS Farragut (DDG-37). During his tenure in the Navy, he received the Navy Expeditionary Medal, a Sea Service Ribbon and Commander Sixth Fleet commendation. He was honorably discharged in 1984 at the rank of petty officer second class (E-5).

After receiving his college degree in history and politics from LIU Southampton College and his MBA from LIU Post, he worked as an adjunct professor of business at Southampton College and attended Touro Law School in the evening. After receiving his law degree, Gunn worked as a Suffolk County assistant district attorney, East Hampton assistant town attorney, Quogue Village prosecutor and in his solo practice as a defense attorney. Currently, he is a judge in the Southampton Town Justice Court. 

Gunn lives in Hampton Bays with his wife, Jennifer, and has two grown children, Caelan and Ryan, as well as a granddaughter, Fiona. He is a life member of VFW Post 5350 in Westhampton Beach and the Hampton Bays American Legion, Hand-Aldrich Post 924.

Click here to read Gunn's full bio.

Hampton Bays Elementary School students recently had the exciting opportunity to step into leadership as “principals for a day,” a special reward for being top fundraisers in the PTA Fun Run.

The student principals embraced their duties with enthusiasm, delivering morning announcements, greeting families at arrival and assisting with safety protocols. In Brittany Morlock and Alexandra Hunter’s kindergarten classroom, “principals” Harper and Ryder handed out kindness tickets and established three schoolwide rules — one of which was a spontaneous 10-second dance break whenever Harper declared “banana!” Ryder kept spirits high by awarding the class an extra 10 minutes of recess.

Thanks to the incredible generosity of these students and the broader school community, over $18,000 was raised to support school initiatives through the fun run.

Date Added: 6/9/2025

Five Hampton Bays High School seniors were honored during a ceremony on June 4 for committing to continue athletics in college.

The Hampton Bays School District congratulates the following students:

Mackenzie David, Albright College, lacrosse and volleyball

Nathan Donahue, Alfred University, football

David Fernandez, SUNY Oneonta, wrestling

Sofia Galvan, Flagler College, cross country and track and field

Asha Pensa-Johnson, Rutgers University-Camden, track and field and volleyball

 

Date Added: 6/5/2025

The Suffolk County School Superintendents Association hosted its 31st annual Valedictorians Luncheon at Villa Lombardi in Holbrook on May 29, an annual SCSSA tradition that honors the enviable accomplishments of Suffolk County’s highest-achieving Class of 2025 graduates. The luncheon was attended by school district superintendents, high school principals, special guests, the valedictorians and their parents. Among them, Hampton Bays High School valedictorian Christopher Roldan.

After a warm welcome by SCSSA President-Elect Dr. Timothy T. Eagan, SCSSA President Dr. Harold Dean told the valedictorians that their success is a testament to their relentless dedication, hard work and perseverance. “As you look ahead to the paths you will forge and the lives you will impact, know that we take great pride in both your accomplishments and your potential to make a meaningful difference in the world,” Dr. Dean said. “We encourage you to remain true to your values – they are the foundation of a lasting leadership.”

Guest speaker Dr. Carl Lejuez, executive vice president and provost at Stony Brook University, encouraged the valedictorians to seek mentorship but to remain true to themselves. “From the first day [of college], look for an opportunity to make a connected relationship with faculty and staff.” He also said, “You should take something from mentors while staying yourselves” and that it is important to “carve out your own place.”

The valedictorians were then called to the stage, accompanied by their school superintendent and high school principal, to receive a certificate of recognition, a plaque and a copy of Dr. Seuss’ “Oh, the Places You’ll Go!” 

During his closing remarks, Dr. Eagan congratulated the valedictorians on their outstanding accomplishments and charged them with the following advice. “Approach your college education with the same passion that got you here today.”

 

Date Added: 6/5/2025

 

 

Hampton Bays High School and Middle School students recently celebrated News Literacy and Civic Action Night, where they shared their insights and understanding of navigating the world of news, as well as civic action projects they’ve developed.

The evening was part of the district’s News Literacy initiative that was established using a Lighthouse District grant from Stony Brook University. Through the initiative, middle and high school students develop skills related to news awareness, analysis of evidence and civic involvement. They do so through integrating activities such as trips to the Express News Group, research projects, lateral reading and News Literacy embedded courses like Participation in Government, which makes is possible for students to earn college credit and a prestigious New York State Seal of Civic Readiness on their high school diplomas.

High school seniors in Participation in Government complete Capstone Projects, which are civic action initiatives focused on real-world problem-solving. For these projects, students investigate an issue in their school or community and then craft a resolution. They achieve this by actively researching the topic, gathering peer input through polls and interviews, and consulting with local leaders or school administrators. This comprehensive process enables them to build consensus and develop creative solutions to pressing high school issues.

Date Added: 6/3/2025