Few would describe a school as a "treasure." I am in my 40th year as a public school teacher and can attest to the treasures that can be found here in the Westbury School District. Westbury's treasure is in its students and schools. It is indeed a storehouse of wealth for the residents of our community.

Teachers teaching and students learning is a sight to behold! I teach at Powells Lane School and often conduct tours of the building for prospective homebuyers. As you approach the building, you are immediately captivated by the magnificent architectural landscape provided by Mary and Lonnie Harris, residents of our district. From the moment visitors enter the lobby they can sense the "buzz" of learning alive!

Banners demonstrating our students' triumphs in the Stock Market Game hang from the walls. Numerous trophies and other indicators of their success are evident. Central to all of these accomplishments is the Blue Ribbon flag of excellence hanging in the lobby.

As the visitors continue down the hall, they encounter a variety of classroom instructional strategies and materials in use. Each class contains at least three desktop computers and students also have access to the computer lab and computer carts. Our library/media center offers not only the traditional outlet for exchanging library books, but also offers lessons that integrate technology into the daily curriculum. The art room is a showcase par excellence. Traditional art techniques are used in combination with computer-generated instruction. The music program features choral, strings, and instrumental teaching. The physical education program directs its efforts to the appropriate physical fitness for our children. All of these support the academic goals of our school.

Inherent in these objectives is the children's achievement at levels three and four in all New York State Assessments. We are proud that for the last several years Powells Lane's students have accomplished this goal on each assessment. In recognition of this, New York State has awarded Powells Lane with the High Performance/Gap Closing School/District Certificate of Achievement for the last five years.

These accomplishments are not created in a vacuum but rather in the context of our excellent staff, supportive parents, and quality building leadership. I invite you to witness what I see on a daily basis by visiting Powells Lane and seeing your "treasure" at work.

Patrick C. Yula
Teacher, Powells Lane Elementary School