Special education leader getting ready for retirement

Michelle Gay has been a familiar face in the Valley Stream Central High School District for a little more than a decade. She has served as the district director of Special Education, placing a high emphasis on helping those with particular needs to reach success.

After previously working at the elementary level in the Elmont School District, she was ready for a new challenge. She took that leap of faith in February 2001, moving to secondary special education in Valley Stream. She says she is very passionate about her work, and has remained dedicated to serving students. Most importantly, she strives to touch the lives of students and encourages them to accomplish their goals.

And now, she is getting set for a new adventure: retirement at the end of the school year. Though the feeling is bittersweet, she will miss the district, but will never forget all the people she has met along the way. The Herald sat down with Gay to ask her about her career, and her plans for retirement.

Herald: What are some of the accomplishments you are most proud of over the years?

Gay: “Overall, I am very proud of the way that the special education department in the district has grown, the programs that we have for children, and how the children are accepted across the district in all of our schools. Also, the graduation rate, and that the children are really accomplishing their academic goals.”

Herald: Any memorable events or moments that you can share?

Gay: “Overall, it’s a fond memory that is based on the successes of kids in the district, especially these students in particular. It’s nice when you see children graduate, when you see children reach their goals, working toward their potential.”

Herald: What are the biggest lessons you have learned here?

Gay: “I have learned that nothing comes easy for these youngsters, and that they have to work very hard to achieve. I learned that there’s no one answer to any situation, that you very often have to think outside the box in order to meet the needs of kids with disabilities. You have to be creative in your thinking. You have to be willing to be flexible.”