During the summer months, when steel girders surrounded sections of the new Willis Avenue School, it was hard to believe that the school would be finished for the opening of the school year. But, the school was completed and the district was able to move in and ready the building for the opening of the school year on Sept. 3.

At last week's board of education meeting, Superintendent of Schools Dr. Lorenzo Licopoli couldn't say enough about the people who worked on the project as he complimented director of early childhood education Deborah Shaw, the faculty, staff and custodians. Dr. Licopoli also wanted to thank Senator Michael Balboni for a grant delivered to the district that was used to purchase playground equipment for the school.

The superintendent said the district had as good an opening as could be hoped for and promised an open house for the public to view the new school.

While the district marked an historic occasion on Wednesday, Sept. 3 with the opening of the school, it marked another historic occasion on Monday, Sept. 8 when full-day kindergarten began for the first time in the Mineola School District.

The district's responsibility of putting learning first, looking at student work and adjusting instructional strategies to meet the needs of children will start at the Willis Avenue School. "We appreciate that opportunity. We're very appreciative of the community for supporting this building. What we have to give back is the assurance that we're providing the best program for the kids. In my capacity as superintendent, that's what I intend to demonstrate and I know we have the motivation, the intelligence, the spirit, the environment and the commitment of the faculty that is extremely dedicated towards that end along with our administrators," Dr. Licopoli said in an interview with the Mineola American a week prior to the opening of the school year.