Powell's Lane Elementary School, in the Westbury School District, has received the prestigious New York State School of Excellence Award, which marks its candidacy for the national Blue Ribbon Award, school officials announced this week.

Powell's Lane is one of only seven schools in the state to be given this outstanding award. The school's nomination has been forwarded to Washington D.C., where a national panel of judges will consider it to be named a United States Department of Education Blue Ribbon School.

Powell's Lane's principal, John Ogilvie, expressed great pride in the school's staff and entire school community when interviewed about the award this week.

"We're extremely pleased. This is, for us, a wonderful accomplishment that goes to all our dedicated staff members - to the Blue Ribbon Committee, who did a wonderful job in preparing a 41-page application. And naturally our parents, who have always supported us in our endeavors," said Ogilvie.

Asked what sets Powell's Lane apart as a school of excellence, he responded, "Let's start with the fact that we have a very caring staff, a very nurturing group of staff members. We have people who stay here at the end of the day and do extended day tutoring, those who come in on Saturday mornings and work with our students preparing them for the state examinations in the fourth grade, those dedicated staff members who take children on overnight trips, giving them an opportunity to do things that they wouldn't normally be able to do - the music programs, the art programs." He added, "It's a combination of all the different, wonderful, caring people who do an awful lot to contribute to the education of the children here at Powell's Lane."

Dr. Constance R. Clark, superintendent of Westbury Schools, also expressed pride in the school's accomplishment. "The learning environment supports the philosophy of educating the 'whole child.' It is an environment of high expectations for all students and staff," she stated.

What also makes Powell's Lane unique, according to school officials, is its diverse student population, which is composed of children from various socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds. The staff has been able to tap into this diversity and encourage students to be the best they can be, the school officials noted. Teachers and other staff members are known for volunteering their time for extra-help sessions and district committee work.

"We are a very diverse school, and we seek to address the needs of all of our students," Ogilvie described. "And we have the kind of staff members who are able to devote those kinds of energies to helping our students and preparing them for a successful future."

According to Ogilvie, major program successes of recent years have included participation in the New York State Stock Market Game (the school has won three out of the past four years), an artist in residence program, outstanding music programs and student plays, vibrant tutoring programs. This is possible not only because of the dedication of staff, but also thanks to a supportive PTA, the principal noted.

"It's a kind of very nurturing environment and atmosphere," he said. "So students would want to come here and participate in the programs. And that's what lends itself to the highlights and the success."

Powell's Lane's designation as a New York State School of Excellence was marked during a Westbury Board of Education meeting last month. Among those present to honor the school were Al Campbell, Village of Westbury trustee, and Roger Corbin, Nassau County legislator from Westbury, who also serves as deputy presiding officer of the Legislature.

Also during the meeting, students celebrated the occasion with singing and a slide presentation illustrating the programs that make Powell's Lane unique.

The Westbury Schools district newsletter has cited the following highlights of Powell's Lane's successes from 1994-2000:

1994-2000: School wide program supports Newsday's "Help a Family" campaign. The school raised more than $3,000 over the last six years.

1995-2000: Students took overnight trips to various historical and environmental sites.

1995: Inclusion model was formulated, which became the prototype for the Westbury School District.

June, 1996: Students in the Westbury High School Class of 1996 honored four Powell's Lane Elementary classroom teachers at the Marriott Hotel.

June, 1996: Fifth grade participants in the Newsday Stock Market Game were featured in Issue 63 of Financial History magazine. Students also presented their participation in the Financial Success Program before the board of education. The National Association of Securities Dealers recognized these students at the New York Stock Exchange.

1997-2000: Appeared numerous times in Newsday and The Westbury Times. Representative articles include: "Students Invited to Enrichment Program," "Students Helping Students at Powell's Lane Elementary," "Powell's Lane Students on Top of Stock Market Game," "Powell's Lane Students Helping Families," "Computers in Education," "Westbury Students Take Stock of Market Future".

1998-1999: Two third grade students won Town of North Hempstead Poetry Contest with the theme "In the Year 2000."

March 1999: Fifth grade students presented a demonstration lesson about the stock market to Westbury Board of Education.

June 1999: Three teachers were awarded instructional grants in the areas of: Lateralizing the Financial Success Curriculum, Chess in the Classroom, and Developing Music as a Teaching Tool in the Academic Curriculum.

1999-2000: In the Newsday Stock Market Game, fourth and fifth grade students won first, second and third places in Long Island region and first place in New York State in all divisions including elementary, middle school, high school and college. They appeared in Newsday in Education magazine.

1999-2000: Fifth grade students won second place in Astoria Federal Savings Bank Essay and Poetry Contest.

1999-2000: Fifth grade student won Fleet Bank Art Award.

1999-2000: Fourth and fifth grade string students won awards, receiving grades of Outstanding, Excellent and Good and NYSSMA.

1999-2000: Fifth grade student became a finalist in Nassau County PTA Reflections with the literature theme "Anything Is Possible."

June 2000: Teacher awarded Summer Institute Workshop Grant to learn hands-on science program and act as building facilitator for staff development.

June 2000: $3000 Annenberg Grant awarded to librarian to support instruction with classroom book sets for every grade level.