Iconis to Cuomo: Visit Massapequa and See What a Successful School District Looks Like

Gov. Andrew Cuomo has been cordially invited to visit the Massapequa School District.

In a letter to the governor, Superintendent Lucille Iconis invited Cuomo “to visit [Massapequa School District] to view, firsthand, what a successful school district looks like.”

Lauding Massapequa’s graduation rates and top marks on teacher evaluations, Iconis insisted the district was not failing by following the philosophy that “good is never good enough.”

“In a time when districts are being painted with the same brush, we ask you to visit our schools to see what sets us apart and to continue the conversation about the issues facing education today,” Iconis wrote.

Read the text of the letter here:

To the Honorable Governor Andrew M. Cuomo:

One of the most important obligations any democratic society has is to educate its children. This is a responsibility that we take very seriously in the Massapequa School District. We share your vision of providing access to high quality education for all New Yorkers and challenging the profession to reflect on its practice. Our outstanding educators and involved community serve 7,200 students in a dedicated and committed manner each and every day. Therefore, it is with a sense of enthusiasm and pride that I invite you to visit our district to view, firsthand, what a successful school district looks like.

Whether measured by graduation rate, AP rankings, or acceptances to some of the most prestigious colleges and universities in the country, the Massapequa School District continues to set the standard. We are a successful school system; a system that strives for continuous improvement, we are not failing! A long standing teacher evaluation system aligned to the Danielson Framework has been in place for over a decade, and we believe that our strong graduation rate correlates to the supportive supervision and professional development that our teachers are afforded. Our skilled administrators partner with the teaching staff every day to deliver a first class educational program. Our graduation rate stands at 98.9%, 94.4% of our students go on to higher level study, and, yes all of our teachers have been deemed effective or highly effective, based on the Annual Professional Performance Review.

We are proud of the accomplishments of our students, administrators and staff and believe in the philosophy that good is never good enough. In a time when districts are being painted with the same brush, we ask you to visit our schools to see what sets us apart and to continue the conversation about the issues facing education today.

Sincerely yours,
Lucille F. Iconis
Superintendent of Schools

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