The Valley Stream Central High School District is proud to announce that Memorial Junior High School has once again been named a School to Watch, a recognition granted jointly by the New York State Education Department (NYSED) and the National Forum to Accelerate Middle-Grades Reform.
This is the school’s third redesignation as a School to Watch, having first achieved the honor in 2017 and then again in 2020 and 2023. The program recognizes middle-level schools that demonstrate a steadfast commitment to continuous improvement, with a focus across four key areas: academic excellence, developmental responsiveness, social equity, and organizational structure. A School to Watch is celebrated for offering a curriculum that is both rigorous and relevant, paired with a supportive environment that is safe, healthy, and personalized for the unique developmental needs of adolescents, according to NYSED.
Because the designation expires, schools undergo a rigorous reevaluation process every three years, and the number of schools successfully maintaining the designation remains small, with only about 47 schools statewide currently holding this honor. The application requires schools to demonstrate not only their strengths but also consistent progress in closing achievement gaps and improving outcomes for all students.
This June, Memorial marked its School to Watch designation with a schoolwide celebration.
“It was such a pleasure to oversee the past two redesignations of Memorial as a School to Watch,” said outgoing Principal Bret Strauss. “This honor reflects the dedication of our staff, who make the well-being, education, and support of our students a daily priority.”
Memorial recently marked its School to Watch designation with a schoolwide celebration.
