Thursday, October 1, 2026
At least 11 teaching positions will be cut for the 2025-2026 school year because of declining enrollment, Hewlett-Woodmere school district officials said originally at a Board of Education budget session on Feb. 5, and revisited at the board’s meeting at Hewlett Elementary School seven days later.
School district officials said they are projecting a decline of roughly 200 elementary school students compared with the 2022-’ 23 school year.
According to the Empire Center, a non-partisan, non-profit think tank based in Albany New York, this is not just an issue in Hewlett-Woodmere. Statewide, enrollment in elementary and early childhood centers has declined by 18 percent in the past 10 years.
The Empire Center also highlighted a surge in homeschooling during the Covid pandemic, which has largely persisted throughout the last five years.
Board of Education president Debra Sheinin highlighted this trend while addressing parents and staff about the reductions.
“This isn’t just an issue in Hewlett-Woodmere; this is going on across New York state,” Sheinin said. “Since COVID-19, many parents have turned to homeschooling, and a lot of families have left New York state.”
Sheinin also noted that Hewlett High School enrollment has remained steady, with more than 1,000 students attending each year since 2016.
Superintendent Ralph Marino Jr. announced through an email to the Herald, that it will use the seniority system to determine teacher reductions and that the affected positions will be in grades pre-K through sixth.
Many teachers attended the Feb. 12 board meeting to show support for their colleagues.
Joann Brown, the president of the Hewlett-Woodmere Faculty Association, expressed the emotions teachers are facing, while acknowledging the difficulty of the board’s decision.
“We stand here today as a union, deeply distraught over the layoffs that impact our colleagues, our classrooms, and our community,” Brown said. “These are not just numbers on the budget sheet; these are dedicated educators and mentors. We acknowledge that these choices are both fiscally responsible and educationally sound, even when they weigh very heavy on our hearts.”
The statement was followed by an emotional and supportive applause from faculty members, parents and students in attendance.
Sheinin noted that because of the enrollment decline it was becoming increasingly more difficult to create appropriate class sizes and distribute the educational resources equitably.
Superintendent Ralph Marino Jr. addressed the staff reductions in an email to the Herald, emphasizing that the decision was based solely on low enrollment.
“The decision to reduce staff is always an extremely difficult one,” Marino wrote. “The district’s elementary school enrollment has been steadily declining throughout the past several years. This decision was based solely on the decreased enrollment, which results in the need for fewer class sections per elementary grade.”
The Hewlett-Woodmere Board of Education will hold its next budget session on March 12 at 6:30 p.m., at the Woodmere Education Center, 1 Johnson Ave., Woodmere.
Have an opinion on the planned Hewlett-Woodmere staff cuts? Send letter to mberman@liherald.com.
