Superintendent's Page

Dr. Constance R. Clark-Snead

Superintendent of Schools
(516) 876-5016    

      Welcome back to all of our students, teachers, parents, and community members, for a wonderful new school year filled with many new opportunities for shared learning and achievement in the Westbury Schools. As the 2009-2010 school year opens, we are filled with pride in the shining accomplishments of our recent graduates, as well as the greatest confidence in the limitless potential of our current students.

     At the start of our new school year, we completed our 2009-2013 Strategic Educational Plan, which will ensure continuity of exemplary teaching and student achievement for the future. Working together toward our shared goal of educational excellence, our students, staff, parents, administration, Board of Education, and community can achieve, and are achieving, great things. We are benchmarking our district against other districts, and we are continuing to see an improvement in test scores. Our students are consistently exceeding the state performance index at all levels, and their success is further seen in their achievements beyond the classroom. Our Class of 2009 graduating seniors earned a total of $261,975 in scholarship awards and went on to attend some of the top colleges and universities in our country. Our excellent educational program is preparing our students to be highly competitive in our society, and to be tomorrow’s leaders, inventors, and problem-solvers.

     In Westbury, our faculty and staff are committed to nurturing and educating the whole child, and we are so proud of the many outstanding achievements of our students. For example, Powell’s Lane School’s students are consistent winners at the Stock Market Game held annually at Hofstra University. Last year, our fifth grade-students from the Gifted and Talented Program of Drexel Avenue and Powell’s Lane schools placed first in the prestigious Mock Trial Competition held annually at Dowling College. Our Magnet Academy program at the Cradle of Aviation Museum offers an accelerated science program to our high school students, with 33 students taking the rigorous Physics Regents Examination, and 87 percent passing. We are also proud to announce that we have introduced a new elementary science program that offers hands-on learning experiences at the Long Island Children’s Museum. This program will inspire our youngsters to become passionate about the sciences.

     Not only are all of our six schools designated In Good Standing by the State Education Department, we have received special recognition for our excellent academic program. This includes Powell’s Lane School’s recognition as a National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence, and Westbury Middle School’s Recognition as a Best Practices School by the University at Albany. Westbury High School continues to produce numerous scholar-athlete teams, in addition to its champion Track Team. This will be the second year that our full-day Pre-Kindergarten program is in place, and our children are already showing an improvement in school readiness skills. In addition, we have a state-approved EXCEL Bond to support the construction of a total of 14 new classrooms, at Drexel Avenue School, Park Avenue School, and the High School, to address our growing enrollment needs.

     I would like to take this opportunity to emphasize the importance of keeping the lines of communication open between school and parents, as we are partners in helping our students be successful. I encourage all parents and community members to attend our monthly Board of Education Action meetings to stay well-informed and stay part of the communication process, as well as to contact your school principals or my office directly with any concerns that you may have during the course of the school year. In addition, I encourage all parents to consult our district web site for important health updates regarding the HIN1 Flu Virus, as well as our important district policies, such as our transportation policy and eligibility guidelines. Your cooperation is very important in helping us continue to ensure the safety and well-being of all of our students.

     We are looking forward to working together with all of our students, teachers, parents, and community members to make this yet another school year filled with many more achievements to celebrate! Best wishes for a great school year!