SEPTEMBER 2018 • LONGISLANDPRESS.COM 23
The Malverne Union Free School District
(UFSD) has grown from its start as a oneroom
schoolhouse in 1830 to four schools
today that serve a diverse community.
There are currently 1,738 students enrolled in grades
K-12 at the district’s schools: Malverne Senior High
School, Howard T. Herber Middle School, Davison
Avenue Intermediate School and Maurice W.
Downing Primary School.
Malverne UFSD is a multicultural, multigenerational
district with a long history of success. We recently
spoke with Dr. James Hunderfund, superintendent of
schools, and Josephine Bottitta, a school board trustee
and former school board president, who discussed
their school district’s mission and vision, and more.
Q: What makes Malverne Union Free School
District special?
James Hunderfund: Close to 50 percent of
our students are classified by New York State as
“educationally disadvantaged” due to their lowincome
status. Nevertheless, our students have
consistently performed far above the established state
and national achievement norms for racial and ethnic
group achievement and for college entry statistics.
Josephine Bottitta: It’s a small-school setting,
which allows for personal attention, together with
an entire school district’s commitment to serving
every student, no matter their race, gender, disability,
socio-economics, led by a dedicated administration
with a vision to make Malverne one of the best school
districts on LI.
Q: What is the mission of the school district?
JH: The total success of every student. Malverne’s
educational program is focused on the development of
the whole child, in which students’ intellectual, physical,
emotional and social well-being remain the focus.
Q: Can you tell me what role technology plays in
the school district today, including the growing
importance of STEM education?
Malverne superintendent & school board trustee
discuss their district’s mission and vision
JH: Various hardware devices, ranging from smart
whiteboards to iPads, are a common sight in our
schools and software like Office 365, OneNote and
OneDrive continues to expand everyday learning.
In Malverne, we are improving STEM education
for all students by ensuring that all students have
access to high-quality learning opportunities. A
primary example of our commitment to a quality
STEM program is our commitment to Project Lead
the Way (PLTW), which empowers students to
develop and apply in-demand, transportable
skills by exploring real-world challenges. Through
our pathways in computer science, engineering
and biomedical science, students not only learn
technical skills, but also learn to solve problems,
think critically and creatively, communicate and
collaborate.
JB: Despite our small size, we have been a forerunner
in bringing technology into the classroom, to our
parents and community. We are also one of less than
a handful of schools across NYS that offers PLTW.
Q: How have things changed at the school district
over the years?
JH: There has been a dynamic shift in the cultural
norms, values and academic standards for the success
of all students. There has been a demonstrated
improvement in the intensity of our students’
motivation to excel academically and in all aspects
of personal growth. For example, suspensions for
disciplinary infractions have decreased dramatically,
whereas prosocial community/school service has
significantly increased. Honor roll status has been
consistently achieved by more than 50 percent of the
students. Advanced placement classes including the
AP Capstone program have continued to increase
enrollments as well as achievement levels. New
records for higher academic achievement have been
exceeded on an annual basis. In 2018, there were 71
AP Scholars and four National AP Scholars from
Malverne High School.
Q: What is the district’s biggest challenges?
JH: One of the greatest challenges for me is not
having enough time to interact with all members of
the school community on a personal basis. Another
major challenge is the management of fiscal resources
to provide desirable programs and student/staff needs.
JB: Our biggest challenge is continuing to provide
the best education while expenses continue to rise and
revenue drops. We take our responsibilities seriously in
being fiscally prudent for all taxpayers while utilizing
our revenue to progress with our mission/vision.
Q: What trends are you seeing?
JH: The national trend toward the development and
infusion of improved learning standards is a welcome
and overdue innovation for American schools. Within
this movement, there is a bureaucratic fixation
to impose a “one size fits all” recipe for students’
success. The loss of individualized learning programs
and flexible strategies to achieve the desired results
presents another formidable challenge to educators,
students and parents.
JB: Unfunded mandates impact smaller schools more
harshly and makes them more challenging to manage.
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Spotlight Long Island
Spring Track and Field student-athletes received
their Nassau County Championship jackets from
Superintendent of Schools Dr. James Hunderfund.
Malverne High School had four students earn
the National AP Scholar Award for 2018 – (L-R)
Charlie Agriogianis, Endy Beltran, Roshni Shukla
and Angie Luna-Menjivar.
Students from Malverne’s Davison Avenue Intermediate
School, recognized in 2018 for “Beating the Odds: Building
Opportunities” by Better Outcomes, LLC, celebrate a new
mural in their lunch room.
James Hunderfund Josephine Bottitta
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