Spotlight

WHSS

I love that there’s so many teachers here in West Hempstead who want to help me achieve my goals and become successful. All of our teachers pay close attention to us, and they provide us with everything that we need.

- Edin Morales-Gomez, West Hempstead SS Junior

GW

The opportunity to lead and inspire the wonderful students, dedicated staff, and supportive community fills me with immense excitement. Embracing our West Hempstead School District mantra of Ram Pride, I look forward to cultivating a culture of academic excellence.

- Robyn Milliner, George Washington School Principal

CA

I love going to school in West Hempstead and I love to learn, because school is so much fun. When you learn, you can probably get a good job when you grow up.

- Aria Lu, Cornwell Avenue School Third Grader

CA

Some of things that I love about West Hempstead is that there are so many places that you can go to, and the fact that I’ve made so many friends here. I like Cornwell’s STELLAR program, and I like math and physical education.

- Sean Doorn, Cornwell Avenue School Third Grader

CA

I love that West Hempstead is so supportive and that we’re one big happy community. Cornwell is the first big school that I’ve been in, but everyone has treated me with kindness and love. I could never wish for anything better.

- Grace Guevara, Cornwell Avenue School Third Grader

CA

I like West Hempstead because we have a really nice park. We get to do fun stuff at Cornwell and I like to learn with my friends.

- Juliana Evans, Cornwell Avenue School First Grader

CA

We get to do a lot of fun things in school, but my favorite thing to do is read books. I also like to spend time with my family and my friends at Cornwell.

- Emory Woods, Cornwell Avenue School First Grader

WHSS

Eduardo Leon Lotero was recently recognized as a News 12/Bethpage Federal Credit Union Scholar Athlete. This past season, he earned All-Conference honors for volleyball, and he represented West Hempstead in Nassau County’s tennis tournament last year.

- Eduardo Leon Lotero, West Hempstead SS Senior

CA

I like growing up in West Hempstead because my teacher does so many fun things in class. After class, I get to play outside with my best friends.

- Nehemiah Theluscat, Cornwell Avenue School First Grader

CA

I love Cornwell because we get to learn new things every day. My favorite subject is math because I really like to count.

- Matthew Pastorino, Cornwell Avenue School First Grader

CA

At Cornwell, I like to learn about math. West Hempstead is fun because I get to be with all of my friends and I get to learn new things from my teachers.

- Arya Mathew, Cornwell Avenue School First Grader

GW

Momina Tahir, who is a native of Pakistan, is quickly learning English by using Google Translate. Every day, Momina has taught herself different English words and phrases by using Google Translate on her iPad to interact with her classmates and teachers.

- Momina Tahir, George Washington School Sixth Grader

CA

One of my favorite things that I like about West Hempstead is learning about my community. I really like this community because everyone is kind to me.

- Elias McKinney, Cornwell Avenue School First Grader

CA

I really like the teachers and the community here in West Hempstead. My favorite subject is math and I like to play fun games with my friends in gym.

- Umer Osman, Cornwell Avenue School First Grader

WHSS

Our school provides an outstanding academic and social environment for young adults to excel. The people around this school are very inclusive and everyone strives to make each other better. It’s a great community with amazing people.

- Madison Abi Aoun, West Hempstead SS Eleventh Grader

GW

Here at George Washington, they help us to prepare for Secondary School by having us switch classes with different teachers. I also love that we get to meet new students every year. Our community is just different from others.

- Nazir Depass, George Washington School Sixth Grader

WHSS

One of the things I really like about our school are the course options. There’s just so much diversity among the courses, clubs, sports and extracurricular activities. It just makes me feel more prepared for the future.

- Luke Filincieri, West Hempstead Secondary School 8th Grader

WHSS

I really like the fact that you can take high school-level classes as an eighth grader. I also like the diversity and the staff here, because you can make connections with them to the point where they feel like more than just a teacher.

- Lansee Sainvilus, West Hempstead SS Eighth Grader

GW

There’s so much kindness in our school community. Everyone in West Hempstead tries to work harder and do better everyday. These are just a few examples of things that make our community great.

- Enrique Zhanay, George Washington School Fifth Grader

GW

I really like West Hempstead because everyone is so nice to me and they make me feel welcome whenever I’m feeling shy. This year, I’m looking forward to meeting new people and helping others.

- Avery O'Reilly, George Washington School Fifth Grader

CS

I would have to say that Chestnut Street is just a wonderful place to see kids starting out, and it's great to see their progress. The amount of growth that kindergarten students make in one year is very rewarding.

- Patricia D'Elia, Chestnut Street School Reading Teacher

GW

I love that I get to collaborate with so many different teachers on several activities. We all work so nicely together, and I love that I have support from Ms. Notti. I also love working with my students and watching them grow emotionally, academically and socially.

- Kelly Sciroppo, George Washington School Special Ed. Teacher

GW

The staff here at George Washington is like a family. Additionally, our students are so loving, heartwarming and appreciative of everything that we do for them. West Hempstead is a very special place. If you need anything, there's always someone to help you.

- Erin Holtkamp, George Washington School ENL Teacher

GW

It’s a really fun and nice environment here at George Washington. I get to meet new people and I get to make new relationships with my teachers. It just keeps getting better and better.

- Kasandra Guillen, George Washington School Fifth Grader

GW

As a professional violinist with a background in classical performance and jazz violin, Colleen Bennett began her studies on the violin at 4 years old through the Suzuki Technique. Ms. Bennett has performed with an array of orchestras, and she is excited to join the district as an orchestra teacher.

- Colleen Bennett, Orchestra Teacher at George Washington School

CA

I really like Cornwell because I've been here for three years and I'm really used to all of the nice teachers at this school. Whenever a teacher says hello to me, I always feel good about it because we've all gotten to know each other very well.

- Alexander Okpych, Cornwell Avenue School Third Grader

CA

I love all of the teachers and friends that I've met here, and I've made a lot of really good memories here. Cornwell is a really special place where I've made so many good friends and become close with old ones.

- Alyssa Pearlman, Cornwell Avenue School Third Grader

CA

One of the great things that I like about West Hempstead is that I get to see all of my friends. When I'm with my teachers, they help me to learn and get smarter every day, and we get to have a lot of fun, too.

- Brielle Panton, Cornwell Avenue School Third Grader

CA

I like Cornwell Avenue because the teachers here are so nice and they believe in us a lot. I really like West Hempstead because it just has so many beautiful things that you can see like the houses and the sunsets.

- Dominic Mazza, Cornwell Avenue School Third Grader

CA

It all starts with the people here in West Hempstead, both with the adults and the students. At Cornwell, there's a positive atmosphere throughout our building. Whether you're a student or a teacher, everyone's eager to get the job done.

- Joseph Pappas, Cornwell Avenue School Third Grade Teacher

CA

I really like my teachers here at Cornwell, I like the school district and I like the activities that we get to do here, because we have so many fun things to choose from. I like to draw, play Roblox and in the wintertime, I like to play in the snow with my aunt.

- Levian Lewis, Cornwell Avenue School Third Grader

CW

I’ve been in West Hempstead for about 16 years, and through those years it’s been a passion of mine to work with early elementary students and build their foundational skills. West Hempstead has always given me that opportunity to form the young minds of our community.

- Kara Maguire, Cornwell Avenue School First Grade Teacher

CW

What I like the most about Cornwell Avenue School is that everybody here is so nice. We have lots of fun here, but my favorite activities are singing and art.

- Layla Salazar, Cornwell Avenue School First Grader

CS

I really like my teacher, Mrs. Angelo, at Chestnut Street. I like to play with my Play-Doh and play games on the playground. On International Dot Day, I got to make my own crown.

- Julianna Ruocco, Chestnut Street School Kindergartner

GW

I love all of my teachers here at George Washington. If you’re stuck on something, they will take the time to help you. We have so many books to choose from to build our interest in reading.

- Timothy Hill, George Washington School Sixth Grader

CS

I am very lucky to work in West Hempstead, especially at the Chestnut Street School. We truly are a family, staff and students included. Everyone is so welcoming and supportive of each other. The hallways are always filled with laughter and smiles.

- Lia Angelo, Chestnut Street School Kindergarten Teacher

GW

We have a strong school community that encourages students to think with groups, think individually and use their past knowledge and workshops to really build a strong knowledge base for what they can do in the future.

- Jackie Sheehy, George Washington School Fourth Grade Teacher

CS

I really like Chestnut Street because of my teachers. They let us play fun games on the playground and in our class with my friends.

- Sabiel Vargas, Chestnut Street School Prekindergartner

CS

At Chestnut Street, I like to draw, learn and play with my friends outside. My favorite game to play is tag, you're it!

- Riley Kohle, Chestnut Street School Kindergartner

WHSS

In particular, I really like the diversity of the students and the staff and how everybody here has created a welcoming and friendly environment. Additionally, there's a lot for students and staff members to get involved in.

- Jackie Zorskas, West Hempstead Secondary School Counselor

Emma Pearlman

There's so much excitement in the school community. We get so much support from our teachers and our principal at George Washington. Our teachers really give us a lot of opportunities to have fun while learning.

- Emma Pearlman, George Washington School Sixth Grader

Iris Wang

I like to exercise and play in my gym class at school. I really like our new playground because I get to spend more time outside with my friends. It's also fun to learn something new from my teacher every day.

- Iris Wang, Chestnut Street School Kindergartner

Ezra Solomon

I like a lot of things in West Hempstead, but my favorite things about West Hempstead are the public library and Chestnut Street School. My favorite class is art and it's really fun to learn with my best friends.

- Ezra Solomon, Chestnut Street School Kindergartner

Photo of student Evie Placa outside

I love Chestnut Street because I get to meet different people and learn new things every day. I enjoy reading and writing, playing with my friends and I really love our new playground.

- Evie Placa, Chestnut Street School kindergartner

Julianna Ocasio Lopez

At Cornwell, I like spending time with my friends and learning music. All of my best friends are here in West Hempstead, and I hope that we can all make a difference.

- Julianna Ocasio Lopez, Cornwell Avenue School Third Grader

Henry Smolar

In West Hempstead, I like the summertime because I get to see the Mets in New York City. In the winter, I get to see snow and I get to play outside. My favorite activity at Chestnut is my gym class because we get to play different games.

- Henry Smolar, Chestnut Street School Kindergartner

Sam Gellar

At Chestnut Street, every time that we get to learn new sight words, it makes it a lot easier for me to read books. I already know how to read lots of baby books and I read them to my baby brother.

- Sam Gellar, Chestnut Street School Kindergartner

Anthony Jean Francois

I really like West Hempstead because everyone here teaches me how to grow. There are so many things to do at Chestnut Street, but my favorite thing to do is learning new sight words.

- Anthony Jean Francois, Chestnut Street School Kindergartner

Timothy

I love West Hempstead because my family and my house is in West Hempstead. My favorite subjects to learn at Chestnut Street are science and reading, and I like spending time with my friends.

- Timothy Gladd, Chestnut Street School Kindergartner

Evie Nova Harlacher

I like Chestnut Street because I get to play and learn with my friends. I like to play in my gym class because we get to play different games and I love learning different subjects every day.

- Evie Nova Harlacher, Chestnut Street School Kindergartner

Kaitlyn Hicks

I love the school community in West Hempstead, especially here at Chestnut Street. I love co-teaching, I love working with my co-teacher and I love the family atmosphere. You can ask anybody for anything. They're all supportive from the top down. It's really wonderful to be here.

- Kaitlyn Hicks, Chestnut Street School co-teacher

Emma Green

I like coming to school because I love to learn, it's where I spend the most time with my friends and I get to make new friends here, too. My favorite subject is science and I enjoy being a part of the Art Club at Cornwell.

- Emma Green, Cornwell Avenue School Third Grader

Antony Gomez

I enjoy having fun with my friends and learning how to do different things every day, especially math. My favorite thing about Cornwell is my teacher, Mrs. Levitt, because she makes everything fun.

- Antony Gomez, Cornwell Avenue School Third Grader

Evelyn Manzanarez

It’s really fun to learn here at Cornwell. I like the fact that we get to spend a lot of time learning with our friends. We also have so many great activities to do like the art club and outdoor sports. It’s been a really fun experience.

- Evelyn Manzanarez, Cornwell Avenue School Third Grader

Matthew Pena

In West Hempstead, there's a lot of great community activities to do. My favorite subject is math, love to play tag with my friends and there's a lot fun things that we can learn from.

- Matthew Pena, Cornwell Avenue School Third Grader

Mustafa Osman Headshot

I like everything in West Hempstead because my friends are here at Cornwell and we do a lot of fun activities. I really enjoy learning and playing basketball with my friends.

- Mustafa Osman, Cornwell Avenue School Third Grader

Glenda Garcia Headshot

It's such a welcoming environment to learn and to grow. Whether it's STEM, art, music, or any other department, there's always a place to start and hone in on your skills. We have so many events here and our school does an excellent job of bringing the community together.

- Glenda Garcia, West Hempstead High School Junior

Najee Marcelin

I’m so appreciative of the faculty and staff here. They’re almost like friends and family to you. I’m looking forward to helping the freshmen and middle school students, because I feel like it’s time for me to give back.

- Najee Marcelin, West Hempstead High School Senior

James Killeen

Teaching at West Hempstead High School is so much more than a “job.” Since I started here in September, I’ve been taken in as part of a family of teachers and students. When things happen in the community, good or bad, students and teachers come together in a way that is truly powerful.

- James Killeen, West Hempstead High School English Teacher

Alison Messana Headshot

I think the teachers and the staff here are all very professional, caring and come together to support one another. It feels great to see the same behavior among our students of supporting each other and just kind of coming together as one big community.

- Alison Messana, George Washington School Sixth-Grade Teacher

Megan Connor

I think this place is special because of the community that we have here at George Washington, and that we value all students’ individual interests. As a reading teacher, we were able to grow each students’ interests in their literature and I just think this is a great place to be.

- Megan Connor, George Washington Sixth-Grade Teacher

Belinda Headshot

I really enjoy how diverse this town is and how understanding they can be with certain circumstances. Whether it’s school plays or sporting events, I’m so excited for all the clubs and programs to return.

- Belinda Rodriguez, West Hempstead High School Junior

brittanie naughton

This learning environment consists of dedication, professional growth and guidance, consistent and productive collaboration and communication, and most importantly a genuine regard for the support of our students and each other.

- Brittanie Naughton - Educator

Keenbelynn Bellande Headshot

I’m most appreciative of the support that we’ve received from the staff. Personally, as a student, I’m very involved in clubs, sports and afterschool activities… This year, I’m really looking forward to going back into the community.

- Keenbelynn Bellande, West Hempstead High School Senior

Kelsey E

The West Hempstead UFSD embodies the diverse learning community that inspires growth mentally, physically, and emotionally. I am proud to be a part of the Ram Fam!

- Kelsey Elias - Educator

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