Welcoming the newest students to Hewlett High School

Alexandra Greenberg is making her students’ transition to high school easier. With the academic year beginning, the principal’s efforts, this summer, aims to ease the transition from middle school for Hewlett High School ninth-graders.

Greenberg is starting her “sophomore year” at Hewlett High and feels that her first year was a success and was overjoyed to be a part of the district she had longed to join.

“A year later I can tell you that all of my dreams came true,” she said.

After her previous positions as assistant principal at Hampton Bays High School, math director at Ossining School District, math and science coordinator at Southern Westchester BOCES in Harrison, and a secondary math teacher in the city school system, she thinks high school principal is what she was born to do.

In her first year at Hewlett High School, she welcomed families into her office to introduce herself during the final weeks of summer. She found that many of the families coming in were those of incoming freshman students.

“She makes herself very available,” Meredith King, parent of incoming freshman, Myles King, said.

Greenberg continued the introductory program this year, as an opportunity for parents to come in and have intimate conversations with her, to voice any questions or concerns regarding their children’s high school start.

“It definitely took the anxiety from the transitional process for me,” Kofi Adomako, parent of incoming freshman, Corey Adomako, said in an email.

Greenberg said a main concern among the families she spoke with is balancing academic intensity, mental health and involvement. She said many freshmen enter the school with a packed schedule. She emphasizes to parents, the importance of students knowing how to be organized.

The principal also noted the many opportunities the students have to get acquainted with their peers through the more than 50 clubs. There is also club fair for freshman.

Before entering high school, eighth-graders can take part in three welcome events to make their transition more manageable, Greenberg said. Incoming freshman review course catalogs in the winter and they can attend a districtwide band night, where all grades perform, as well as the Homecoming parade where middle school and high school teams march together, which she called a phenomenal opportunity for the students to connect.

“Hopefully its less culture shock when they arrive,” Greenberg said of the incoming class’s start.

Hewlett High School is at 40 Evert Ave., in Hewlett. The principal’s office number is (516) 792-4100. The school’s website is, Hewlett-Woodmere.net/hhs.