On Wednesday, Feb. 21, the Sewanhaka Central High School District lost a revered professional with the death of a beloved educator, colleague and friend, Mrs. Etta Schneiderman. An exemplar of commitment, dedication and excellence, she was the embodiment of an extraordinary human being.

Mrs. Schneiderman began teaching with the Sewanhaka Central High School District Sept. 1, 1984, in the Math Department at Floral Park Memorial High School. Little did the building know what a treat they were in for or how fortunate they would be to have her spend all 23 years in the district with them! In her years at Floral Park, Mrs. Schneiderman saw many state changes in the math curriculum and she taught all grades of mathematics at different points in her career. Most recently, she was teaching Math 7, Math 8 and Math 10.

Over the years, Mrs. Schneiderman impacted thousands of students, not just in the classroom but outside as well. For most of her career, she served as advisor to the Student Council where she, along with students, planned and funded exciting activities that brought joy and unity to Floral Park. The Student Council Bazaar was a fixture for many years that more recently included carnival rides and live music by student bands. In 2004, Mrs. Schneiderman was the driving force behind a project that culminated in the construction of a fishpond for the building's courtyard in memoriam to three students lost by Floral Park Memorial to illnesses. In recent years, she was the initiator of and advisor to an acceptance and tolerance program known as "Operation Respect" that trained students to be building leaders in making Floral Park Memorial a kinder and gentler school community.

Mrs. Schneiderman was responsible for the expansion of Operation Respect into other district schools and coordinated intra-district trainings for the students involved. As an outgrowth of Operation Respect, Mrs. Schneiderman was instrumental in bringing "Rachel's Challenge," a nationally renowned anti-bullying program, to the Sewanhaka District.

Mrs. Schneiderman's professional endeavors extended far beyond the student body at Floral Park Memorial. It was her mission to enhance the education profession and she did so by serving as a teacher supervisor to a myriad of student teachers and observers from Adelphi University, where she was a member of the adjunct faculty. She was an active participant in teacher development through her work as co-director of the Nassau TRACT Teacher Center and in the education of future teachers through her presentations at the Queens College "Time 2000" program for prospective math teachers.

Etta Schneiderman was a profile in leadership through her tireless efforts with the Sewanhaka Federation of Teachers. A dedicated union member for many years, she served in multiple executive board positions and in 2002 was elected president. She was a true advocate for the best interests of the students via the needs of the professional staff. She forged a strong and amicable working relationship with the Sewanhaka Central High School District administration while truly caring for all of the staff she so heartily represented.

Frank McHugh, Mrs. Schneiderman's vice president, said of her, "As president of the SFT, she took the union in new directions. She got more people involved by showing them that this was their union and that the union was concerned about them. Etta put younger people on the Executive Board, brought younger people to the Delegate Assembly and showed them that they could be leaders of the SFT. One thing is definite - everyone who came in contact with Etta was and is better off for having known her."

Mrs. Schneiderman clearly touched the lives of all she came in contact with. Sewanhaka Central High School District Superintendent Warren Meierdiercks said: "Mrs. Schneiderman was a master teacher. She was an outstanding and fair person who in her union role, represented her membership with the highest level of professionalism, and in fact, was the consummate professional in everything she did. Etta was a mentor, friend and overall marvelous individual who cared about everyone around her. I was fortunate to call her my colleague and friend. Her legacy will remain with this district forever and we will miss her."

Gloria O'Connor, assistant superintendent and former Floral Park administrator expressed a similar sentiment. "I considered her a personal friend. Etta worked diligently to improve the relationship between teachers and administrators and she always put the students' needs first," O'Connor added.

Although Mrs. Schneiderman believed her work was its own intrinsic reward, those around her clearly believed she deserved more. In 2001, she was recognized for her outstanding professional efforts with junior high school students by receiving the Nassau County Math Teachers Association's "Teacher of the Year" award. In 2006, she was a "Disney Teacher of the Year" nominee. Upon receiving her nomination she commented, "This is an outstanding honor. We join this profession because we believe we can positively impact the future of children. Receiving this nomination from a student is the ultimate achievement of that goal."

Mrs. Schneiderman was the recipient of multiple Superintendent's Mini-Grants for her creative ideas to further the education of Floral Park students and also earned the honor of "Teacher of Month" on more than one occasion. Mrs. Schneiderman was a participant in the New York State Academy for Teaching and Learning in Albany, where she took part by presenting model lessons that were evaluated through a peer review process along with district math coordinator, Cathy Florio. She was twice an inductee into the academy for her fine lesson planning and presentation. Florio was also Mrs. Schneiderman's chairperson for many years and remembers her fondly. "As we say in mathematics, Etta was an 'irregular figure.' She was dynamic, enthusiastic, creative, and her classroom was an exciting place to learn mathematics while enjoying it. Etta made an unparalleled contribution to students and faculty alike. The talents she brought to Floral Park Memorial made her a valued member of not only the math department, but the school and community as well. One fond memory I will always carry was her love of her most favorite day of the school year, "Pi Day" (March 14). She loved that T-shirt and wore it proudly."

Floral Park Memorial Principal Kathleen Sottile reflected upon the level of support Mrs. Schneiderman offered her as a new principal. "In the short time we knew one another, we developed a wonderful friendship and trust. I valued her advice and words of wisdom and I will miss her dearly."

Assistant Principal Stan Johnsen remembered Mrs. Schneiderman as "fair and open-minded, a trusted advisor and confidante." "You could always have an open dialogue with Etta and everything she did - in or outside of the classroom - was always done right," Johnsen said. Maureen Henry, assistant principal, described Mrs. Schneiderman as always bringing ideas to the table that bettered children, whether it was her love for math or character education. "Her energy and enthusiasm inspired me and it always will. Etta expended tireless energy to make our school, district, and community a better place and I want to thank her for sharing it," she added.

Math Department Chairman Al Bauer worked with Etta on a daily basis. "Etta Schneiderman was a dynamic teacher, devoted wife and mother and a concerned colleague. She was a tremendous influence on the math department and the entire school community. Her vibrant and radiant personality raised our spirits everyday. She was an inspiration to us all and will be deeply missed. When I think about Etta, I reflect upon the words of Winston Churchill: 'We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.' Etta Schneiderman made a life of happiness and fond memories for many."

Mrs. Etta Schneiderman was a profile of leadership and excellence. She possessed the ability to mentor educators across academic disciplines because she was the epitome of professionalism and human dignity. Etta Schneiderman is survived by her loving husband Sam, her four beautiful children, Ari, Celia, Debbie and Stephen, and four grandchildren Hannah, Jackie, Sara and Scott, as well as thousands of faculty, staff and students around Long Island whose grief and sense of loss extend far beyond words.