"We are very proud of this school system,'' Mamaroneck Superintendent of Schools Robert Shaps told the new staff members during an orientation and breakfast on Aug. 26.
Shaps said the parents of the district's approximately 5,200 students expect their teachers to set high standards while inspiring excellence in academics, sports and other extracurricular activities. "I say harness that,'' Shaps said. "There are a lot of people counting on you to deliver."
Elizabeth Keim is among the new staff joining Mamaroneck Schools, after teaching 22 years for a school in the Tribeca section of Manhattan. She will be one of Central Elementary School's two reading teachers.
"It's a very big change,'' Keim said. "It was a very nice first day. . . .To me, it felt very inviting."
Keim said she respects how Mamaroneck approaches education by teaching to "the whole child. . . .The way people think about children here."
Mamaroneck Schools focus on "creating an educational environment in which every student is well-known and feels a sense of connection,'' according to an orientation pamphlet. "Our curriculum is rigorous, and our teachers are committed to the goal of helping each student develop to his/her full potential."
The school district also prides itself on being both ethnically and economically diverse. Its student population is comprised of about 28 percent minorities including 19 percent who are Hispanic and 5 percent who are Asian.
About 12 percent of Mamaroneck's students qualify for free or reduced cost lunches. And about 12 percent of its qualify for special education services.
"I hope it's a great year,'' Shaps said. "I look forward to visiting your classrooms."
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