The Glen Cove City School District marked a milestone on Friday with a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new extension at Landing Elementary School. The event, held outside the school doors leading to McLoughlin Street, brought together past and present administrators, staff and community members to celebrate a long-awaited addition to one of the district’s oldest and most beloved schools.
The ceremony included a guided walk-through of the new wing, which features four new classrooms, an elevator, updated staircases and restrooms on both the first and second floors.
Angela Raimo, President of the Board of Education, reflected on the effort it took to get to this day. “It was the hard work of our past and current school administration and past and current boards that made this happen,” Raimo said. “We’re really excited for this beautiful new space, and the chance to enjoy it for years to come.”
Michael Israel, Landing School’s principal from 1999 to 2012 and its assistant superintendent until 2022, returned for the ceremony. “When I saw on Facebook that they were unveiling the wing and inviting the community, I had to come back,” he said. “This was such a big part of my life — not only from working here, but from going to school and living here.”
Israel praised the design and construction of the addition, noting the work of architect John Grillo. “They really did a beautiful job,” Israel said. “This building, which was built in 1932, really needed this. We knew it for years, but when the pandemic hit, that just made it all the worse. The school was so crowded, and social distancing really highlighted the lack of space.”
According to district Superintendent Alexa Doeschner, the project was initiated in response to challenges amplified by the pandemic. “The extension at Landing was primarily built to provide additional classrooms due to limited space,” Doeschner said. “The pandemic made it clear just how necessary more room was for both safety and learning.”
Planning for the addition began in 2021, when the district successfully applied for federal funding through the American Rescue Plan Act. A groundbreaking ceremony was held in spring 2023, and construction was completed this summer. The wing officially opened to students last month. While there were general construction delays, the project stayed on schedule, without any major obstacles — and, importantly, remained within budget.
The extension is part of a broader effort by the city school district to modernize and upgrade its facilities. In addition to Landing, the district previously completed a new wing at Deasy School, funded through the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act. A $30.5 million bond, approved two years ago also enabled major upgrades throughout the district, including, at Glen Cove High School, a new artificial-turf field and tennis complex, renovations of the cafeteria and bathrooms, and the construction of state-of-the-art science labs.
“These upgrades have been transformative,” Doeschner said. “At Landing, the new classrooms provide the space our students and teachers have long needed. And at the high school, the science labs have taken instruction to a new level. Students now get hands-on experiences that prepare them for college and careers.”
She added that across the district, improvements to cafeterias, bathrooms and learning spaces have made daily school life more comfortable and conducive to learning. Teachers and students alike have expressed pride in their updated environments.
Response from the community has been overwhelmingly positive. Parents and alumni have praised the district for facilities that now measure up to the high caliber of Glen Cove’s academic programs. While there were some understandable concerns raised early on about cost and timelines, district residents said they appreciated the transparency of the process and the impact of the improvements on students’ educational experiences.
“Our goal is to keep moving forward,” Doeschner said. “We want every student in Glen Cove to walk into a building tha
