South Huntington unveils standalone Silas Wood Universal Pre-K center, registration opens Jan. 12

South Huntington Union Free School District officials on Dec. 2025 announced plans for a standalone Silas Wood Universal Pre-K (UPK) center they said will open for the 2026-27 school year, outlining the program's curriculum, daily schedule and enrollment process.

Assistant Superintendent Dr. William Hender and incoming Silas Wood UPK principal Renee Shum told the board the center will emphasize play-based learning, social-emotional development and transitions that prepare children for kindergarten. "We are teaching children how to be friends, how to manage emotions, how to take risks, and how to be part of a community," Shum said.

Hender said the district will use a curriculum aligned to existing K— programming and will provide professional development under one roof for teachers who work at the center, including staff from community-based organizations. He said the district will follow New York State assessment requirements and "we will be doing that first speed dial prior to their entry into UPK so that we can really have a great sense of where each student is." (direct quote uses transcript phrasing).

Leaders described operational plans intended to ease traffic and transitions: staggered start and end times, supervised arrival from car to classroom, and before- and after-school care options. The district also plans family engagement events and evening sessions to help parents learn classroom routines and technology.

The program will include a Spanish-language exposure component the presenters called "Little Estudiantes," which Hender said will sprinkle Spanish throughout the day across classrooms to promote dual-language pathways and the district's seal of biliteracy work.

Administrators showed images of a newly installed playground at Silas Wood and said the building would house up to 15 potential classrooms. Shum said parents should register promptly: "registration will open on January 12 this year" and the district announced there would be no lottery for placements.

Board members praised the plan and thanked the UPK committee and PTA volunteers; one board member called the program a "monumental project" and another said she had already requested the first day of school off to attend. Hender and Shum said more details would be posted on the district website ahead of registration.

The board took a five-minute break after the presentation and then proceeded with the business agenda.