Suozzi Congratulates Educators in Visit to Roosevelt’s Centennial Ave. School

-- New, Wireless Building is Hive of High-Tech Learning, Chinese Language Lessons and TV News Show

Roosevelt, N.Y. – With its innovative educational programs and the latest in high-tech learning, Nassau County Executive Thomas R. Suozzi today lauded Centennial Ave. School in Roosevelt as a great example of a school that’s getting it right.

“I want to commend the terrific job that Principal Patricia Charthern and her outstanding staff are doing at Centennial Ave. School,” said Suozzi, who is spending the day at the school. “I’m pleased to have the opportunity to see first-hand all the hard work and dedication that goes into making this school such a wonderful learning environment.”

Suozzi was accompanied by a number of top aides, including Police Commissioner James H. Lawrence, Deputy County Executive for Economic Development Patrick Duggan and Deputy County Executive for Health and Human Services Mary Curtis. The county is exploring ways it can support Roosevelt educators in their efforts to help students excel.

“The students in the Roosevelt school district face many challenges,” Suozzi said. “We want to make sure school officials, parents and students know that the county is here to support them. The county government is ready to bring its expertise to bear in many areas – from school safety issues to social services to health concerns. We’re here to help in any way we can.”  

Now in its second year, the Centennial Ave. School was built with funds from legislation introduced in 2002 by Assemblywoman Earlene Hooper (D-Hempstead). The legislation included $6 million a year in state aid to the Roosevelt school district and $208 million for new construction.

Roosevelt schools are making great strides. The new Washington Rose elementary school building is set to be completed by December, and the district’s new Middle School building is on track to be finished next year. The district’s 2006-2007 budget includes strengthened partnerships with Hofstra and Adelphi Universities, and community fundraising has allowed the district to fund its sports program. New elementary school programs include robotics, choral music and jazz, and the high school is offering advanced placement classes. Meanwhile, reading and math scores at the elementary schools remain at or above grade level.

The new Centennial Ave. School building – which educates 716 students from kindergarten through sixth grade – is outfitted with a wireless computer network and a state-of-the-art science lab that includes an interactive SMART Board, an electronic whiteboard that allows for hands-on learning.

Centennial Ave. School, under Principal Patricia Charthern’s leadership, has also instituted innovative educational programs. First and second graders are learning Chinese as part of a district-wide program, and sixth graders are studying political science. And the school is currently in the process of launching a TV news show – covering international, national and local news – as a creative way to reinforce the social studies curriculum and build vocabulary.

This is Charthern’s first year at the helm of Centennial Ave. School, and she comes with a track record of success. In most of her 12 years as principal of the Harry D. Daniels School, a K-3 school in Roosevelt, the students scored between 92% and 100% on or above grade level.

“No one can do this alone,” Charthern said. “If you do not have the right team in place, you cannot win. So it starts with a dynamic staff, and it continues with high expectations of the children. You can have the best programs and curriculum, but if teachers do not hold high expectations, then it does not work. This philosophy, along with a variety of strategies we have in place, is why we have met with some measure of success. We welcome the County Executive’s interest and his offer of assistance.”