Slideshow: Lynbrook, East Rockaway students return to school

Class is back in session as East Rockaway School District students returned to school on Tuesday, while Lynbrook's buildings opened their doors for students on Wednesday.

The East Rockaway district will continue its five-year strategic plan this school year, with an emphasis on achievement, connection, opportunity and innovation.

East Rockaway Junior-Senior High School students were greeted by a new principal as Richard Shaffer took over for Interim Principal Neil Lederer on July 1.

Shaffer, a Floral Park resident, has spent the past seven years serving in a variety of leadership roles at Nathaniel Hawthorne Middle School in Bayside, Queens, and he told the Herald recently that he is excited to help bring 21st century learning to East Rockaway.

“Some of my beliefs about how a school succeeds are centered around student engagement and 21st century skills,” he said. “When they graduate and go off to college, we’re going to prepare them to be successful in both classroom and non-classroom settings.”

Lynbrook School District officials will look to continue to instill education that enables students to excel in future grades, in college and in the workforce.

For 2018-19, Lynbrook High School will continue to offer students a wide array of courses and extracurricular activities. The school was recently designated a New York State Reward School, and continues to improve its ranking among the best high schools in the state and country.

Superintendent Dr. Melissa Burak recently expressed her gratitude toward parents and residents for being supportive and enabling the district to offer students a well-rounded education.

“We are grateful to the community for its continued support of educational initiatives that help us achieve our goals,” she said. “Passage of the budget and proposition proposals has allowed us to strive for our maximum potential on behalf of the students.”