The Board of Education welcomed a new trustee during the annual reorganization meeting on July 2 with District Clerk Kathryn Girolamo administering the oaths of office.

Gavi Hoffman was sworn in for a three year term as the newest trustee while Karen Brohm and Patricia Greaves took oaths for new terms. Mrs. Brohm was also elected president for the seventh straight year and Andrea Shinsato was voted as vice president for the third consecutive year. 

The district celebrated a successful school year following the districtwide restructuring, as the Chestnut Street School, Cornwell Avenue Primary School, George Washington Intermediate School and the middle school recently celebrated moving up ceremonies.

District administrators and staff honored students as they took the next step in their educational path in the district. The principals shared their gratitude to the students and families that helped to make the transition of restructuring a success for each building.

The district congratulates each moving up class for their achievements thus far and looks forward to the positive impact the students will have on West Hempstead.

Julie Healey’s English 7 class at the middle school earned a celebratory pizza party on June 19 after winning a recent Achieve 3000 Read to Succeed contest.

The contest was a school-wide 30-day race to accelerate and motivate literacy growth. Ms. Healey’s class completed the most activities with a 75% or better correction rate in the school to earn the pizza party.

Achieve 3000 representative Robert Marantz sponsored the pizza party by visiting and congratulating the class with achievement certificates. Principal Sean Murray also applauded the students for their success.

“Congratulations to Ms. Healey and students on their accomplishment of building outstanding literacy growth in the classroom,” said Mr. Murray.

The district celebrated excellence, achievement and tenure during the annual Tenure Tea and final Board of Education meeting of the school year on June 18.

The annual Tenure Tea recognized tenure recipients, district retirees and employees with 20 years of the service in the district. Board of Education members and administrators congratulated all of the honorees for their dedication to West Hempstead.

The staff members honored for tenure were Jennifer Brickman, Sheila Dempsey, Nicholas DiBenedetto, Carol Gordon, Michelle Lambo-Maron, Jaclyn Kaszubski, Dr. Erica Kozakis, Nicholas Maggio and Madeline Valencia.

The district’s retirees who were celebrated include Barbara Hafner, Mary Durham, Derrick Fore and Deborah Wyner.

Those employees recognized for 20 years of service to the district include Jaclyn Adrejko, Edward Cosgrov, Virginia Fagan Pusater, Joanne Gallipoli, Kathryn Girolamo, Julie Levitt, Cari Lubliner, Paul Selhorn, Michele Stoll, Nancy Sulliva and Danny Walter.

The festivities continued at the Board of Education meeting as a pair of varsity athletic teams and a stand-out senior were celebrated. 

Neven Vaduthala was spotlighted for earning the Biliteracy Seal from the New York State Board of Regents for his upcoming diploma. He was also recognized for being a recipient of the 2019 Good Deed Award for Long Island Teenagers. Presented by the National Committee for the Furtherance of Jewish Education of Nassau County, the distinction honors teenagers who are thoughtful, helpful, charitable, kindhearted, supportive, community minded and positive.

Director of Physical Education, Health and Athletics Chris Mistretta honored a pair of spring varsity teams for outstanding seasons. The varsity softball team won 16 straight games during the season towards a 16-0 conference record, a conference regular season championship and an overall 16-2 mark that included a berth in the Nassau County Class A playoffs. The varsity girls’ badminton team was also acknowledged for qualifying for the Nassau County playoffs following a 9-1 conference record.

The district congratulates all of those celebrated at the Tenure Tea and Board of Education meeting for demonstrating Ram Pride.