January School District of the Month

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I have named the Franklin Square School District as School District of the Month in the Fourth Congressional District for January 2002. The schools are Polk Street, Washington Street and John Street Elementary Schools. This month I've decided to honor three schools in the Franklin Square School District for their growth and innovativeness. Dr. Timothy Lafferty is the outstanding Superintendent of Schools in Franklin Square. Primarily serving the residents of Franklin Square, the school district also adds portions of these neighboring communities: Garden City South, West Hempstead, Elmont and Malverne. The administrators of the schools are: Gloria Perry, Principal, Polk Street Elementary School; Vincent Butera, Principal, Washington Street Elementary School; and Ceil Candreva, Principal, John Street Elementary School. Today, all three elementary schools in the district held groundbreaking ceremonies for renovations and additions to be completed in this new year. Any time I see Long Island schools growing, expanding and renovating, I'm heartened for our future. The very structure of a building is so vital to the inside health and well-being of the students, staff and faculty on the inside. Dr. Lafferty and his administration prepare children to be contributing members of society along with their academic instruction. Providing a "Foundation for Success" is the driving force that shapes all programs in the Franklin Square School District's three elementary schools. Two programs cited as "exemplifying the spirit" of the schools are the Accelerated Reading Program and the Character Development Program. The goal of the Accelerated Reading Program is to ensure that students read more books independently outside of the school day. Each teacher maintains a bulletin board which spotlights students' progress toward achieving their goals. The Character Development Program aims to teach students values by stressing practice in addition to study and discussion. Through the implementation of cooperative learning, students learn to practice leadership strategies, impulse control and responsibility. Students learn to be good citizens. The vision of Franklin Square School District--A Foundation for Success--prepares Long Island students for a lifetime of learning. It is a vision shared by all members of Franklin Square community, including students, teachers, administrators and parents. The Fourth Congressional District salutes the Franklin Square School District's focus on the future. I congratulate all members of the Franklin Square School District community on this honor.