Friday, October 16, 2026
Baldwin’s Plaza Elementary School has been named a National PTA School of Excellence for 2024-26, one of only 24 schools in New York and 330 nationwide to receive the designation.
The award recognized Plaza’s efforts to strengthen family-school partnerships and build an inclusive school community. Plaza previously earned the distinction in 2018-20 and 2020-22.
“This recognition underscores the importance of strong collaboration between families, staff and our PTA in fostering a supportive and thriving learning environment for our children,” Keshri Tewari, the school PTA’s vice president of legislation, wrote in an email.
Through the School of Excellence program, PTAs and schools make a yearlong commitment to improving family engagement. They collect feedback from families, develop and carry out action plans, and work to create an environment in which parents feel welcomed, included and empowered, while students feel safe and ready to learn.
“We believe that every strategy to accelerate learning must include families,” Yvonne Johnson, national PTA president, stated in a news release. “Decades of research show that family engagement is just as essential as other school improvement strategies — from rigorous instruction to effective leaders. We are thrilled to honor the accomplishments of Meadow and Plaza Elementary Schools and their PTAs.”
Meadow Elementary School was also recognized for 2024-26, its second consecutive designation. As previously reported in the Herald, Meadow also received the National PTA’s highest honor, the 2025 Phoebe Apperson Hearst Outstanding Family-School Partnership Award, which was accompanied by a $2,000 grant.
“As principal, I am immensely proud of the culture of connection and shared commitment we’ve built together — this recognition belongs to every member of our Meadow family,” Meadow Principal Yolanda Martin said.
Baldwin Superintendent Anthony Mignella said that both schools’ achievements show the strength of the district’s parent partnerships. “In Baldwin, we believe in creating a culture of connection, and that fostering strong relationships with our families is the key to the success of our schools, and the PTAs play a vital role in making this partnership possible,” Mignella wrote in an email. “Congratulations to Meadow and Plaza for earning the National PTA School of Excellence distinction.”
Both PTAs received certificates and banners to mark the honor.
