The Mineola School District is on the right track! In the past three years we have seen significant gains in student achievement. Our students continue to deliver strong performances in our clasrooms, and on our playing fields and stages. All the while, our teachers continue to strive for excellence as well.

The district's Professional Development Team has brought in some of the nation's leading experts in education to support our plan for continuous school improvement. We have also opened one of the county's leading early childhood centers: The Willis Avenue School is a state of the art facility, engineered to meet the specific needs of pre-kindergarten and kindergarten students.

Indeed, we have a strong foundation for excellence. A number of State and National leaders in government, as well as education, are products of the Mineola School District. Congresswoman Carolyn McCarthy is a key leader in our nation's legislative branch, and a graduate of Mineola High School. Alumni Tom DiNapoli and Maureen O'Connell are members of the State Assembly, bringing the voice of our school and community to the State government. Mineola graduate Karen Hitchcock is President of the State University of New York at Albany. Moreover, many government aides and support staff have come from Mineola Schools.

Three of the professional jazz musicians in the Latin-fusion band Afrodysia-who performed at our recent Jazz Concert Night-are products of our school system and its fine music program. The many notables who have graduated from Mineola have made, and are making, considerable contributions to our society at all levels. The students in our schools-past, present and future-have in the past, and will always continue, to experience an educational system dedicated to excellence, not only in education, but in emotional and social development as well.

Our ongoing strategic planning empowers us to build a school system that is data driven and committed to the continuous improvement of student achievement and school quality. Our efforts will lead Mineola well into the new millennium. As you will see, we have made gains in virtually every area of student achievement, and we will continue to do so as we strive for excellence!