[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 9 (Thursday, February 7, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E112]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 FEBRUARY SCHOOL DISTRICT OF THE MONTH

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                         HON. CAROLYN McCARTHY

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, February 7, 2002

  Mrs. McCARTHY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I have named the Rockville 
Centre Union Free School District as School District of the Month in 
the Fourth Congressional District for February 2002. The schools in the 
district are Francis F. Wilson, Jennie E. Hewitt, Floyd B. Watson, 
Riverside and William S. Covert Elementary Schools, and South Side 
Middle and High Schools.
  I decided to honor the entire Rockville Centre school district for 
their commitment to helping the victims and their families of the 
September 11 tragedy. I commend their determination to make the world a 
better place.
  Dr. William Johnson is the Superintendent of Schools in the Rockville 
Centre School District. Primarily serving the residents of Rockville 
Centre, the school district also includes portions of the neighboring 
South Hempstead communities. The administrators of the schools are: 
Joan F. Waldman, Principal, Floyd B. Watson Elementary School; Darren 
Raymar, Principal, William S. Covert Elementary School; Carol Burris, 
Principal, South Side High School; Thomas Ricupero, Principal, South 
Side Middle School; Joanne Spencer, Principal, Jennie E. Hewitt 
Elementary School; Patricia Bock, Principal, Riverside Elementary 
School; and Ann Peluso, Principal, Francis F. Wilson Elementary School.
  All five of the elementary schools contributed to the various relief 
funds through a wide-range of events such as fundraisers, exhibits and 
collections. Students at Hewitt and Waston Elementary Schools responded 
immediately to President Bush's request for one dollar from every child 
to be sent to starving children in Afghanistan. Covert Elementary 
School will donate half of the proceeds from its annual Variety Show to 
their local World Trade Center fund. Wilson Elementary School ran a 
coin campaign and donated the proceeds, totaling over two thousand 
dollars to the American Red Cross.
  Furthermore, the Rockville Centre school district has excelled on the 
academic front. Several schools in the district have recently received 
individual awards for outstanding educational standards.
  Riverside Elementary School recently became the recipient of the 
Pathfinder Award, a prestigious distinction given by the Business 
Council of New York State for most improvement on state-wide English 
and Math exams. Two students from South Side High School are 
semifinalists in the nationwide Intel Science Talent Search, where the 
winners receive college scholarships. In 1998, South Side High School 
was named Blue Ribbon School.
  The unity and generosity of these children and their families is 
amazing. I am very proud of all of these schools and their benevolent 
efforts. Congratulations on this honor, and keep up the good work.

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