The Garden City Public Schools brought staff members from all buildings and departments together for Superintendent’s Conference Day last month. The high school field and bleachers were filled with excitement in anticipation of a successful opening, and attendees heard announcements and inspiring remarks from the morning’s presenters.
Superintendent of Schools Dr. Kusum Sinha welcomed the audience and thanked the board of education, parent groups, collective bargaining units and all administrators, faculty and staff members. She introduced new administrators and teachers and acknowledged the building and grounds, technology and transportation teams for their efforts in preparing for a smooth start to the school year.
Board of Education President Bill Holub addressed participants and provided warm welcomes and encouragement for the year ahead. Assistant Superintendent for Business & Finance Dana DiCapua and Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources and Leadership Development Nanine McLoughlin shared updates and reviewed recent hires.
The event also included the presentation of two Service Awards to recipients who have gone above and beyond in their roles. The Administrator Service Award was bestowed upon Director of Educational Technology Dr. Rita Melikian and the Teacher Service Award was awarded to Information Technology Specialist Lauren Maguire. Dr. Sinha described their contributions to the district’s programs and commended their rapid and innovative leadership in transitioning to remote and hybrid instruction.
Dr. Sinha concluded the gathering by reflecting on the past two school years and discussing the significance that comes from challenging times.
“If we want students to prepare to flourish for an unpredictable future, we shouldn’t be focusing on the future at all. We should be focused on ensuring that they flourish now. While we aim for enabling students to do well in school, an equal aim is to help them do well in the lives they lead outside of school.”
—Submitted by Garden City Public Schools
