# Niagara-Wheatfield Central School District

Niagara-Wheatfield Central School District is a public school district in New York State located in the Town of Lewiston, New York, about 10 miles (16 km) from Niagara Falls, New York. The district serves students from the towns of Niagara and Wheatfield.

## Administration

* Daniel Ljiljanich–Superintendent
* Thomas Stack–Assistant Superintendent Personnel & Pupil Services
* Allison Davis–Assistant Superintendent of Finance and Management
* Jennifer Golias,–Director of Curriculum, Instruction, and Technology
* Steve Metzger,–Director of Special Programs
* Casie La Marca,–Assistant Director of Special Programs
* Matthew McKenna,–Director of Athletics

### Selected former superintendents

Previous assignment and reason for departure in parentheses
* Mabel Sarbaugh Lee
* Charles R. Clark
* Joel Radin–?-1994 (unknown, retired)
* Carol Beebe–1994-1996 (Principal - Colonial Village Elementary, returned to Colonial Village)
* Peter T. Kachris–1996-1997 [interim]
* Judith H. Howard–1998-2008 (Assistant Superintendent - Hilton Central School District, retired)
* Carl Militello–2008-2012 (Superintendent - Carthage Central School District, retired)
* Kerin Dumphrey–2012 [interim] (School Business Administrator - Niagara-Wheatfield Central School District, returned to position)
* James Knowles–2012-2013 [interim] (Interim Superintendent - Warsaw Central School District, retired)
* Lynn M. Fusco–2013-2015 (Superintendent - Alden Central School District, named Superintendent of Erie 1 BOCES)

## Schools

The school district operates six schools.

### Niagara-Wheatfield High School

Niagara-Wheatfield High School is located at 2292 Saunders Settlement Road in Sanborn, New York and serves grades 9 through 12. The current interim principal is Jeffrey White.

#### History

Niagara Wheatfield High School opened on September 8, 1958 as Niagara Wheatfield Junior-Senior High School and was dedicated on April 12, 1959. The time capsule was buried in the cornerstone during the laying on June 8, 1958.

### Edward Town Middle School

Edward Town Middle School is located at 2292 Sanders Settlement Road in Sanborn and serves grades 6, 7, and 8. The current principal is Eleanor Payne.

#### History

Edward Town Middle School opened on October 13, 1965 as Edward Town Junior High School and was dedicated on April 24, 1966.

### Colonial Village Elementary School

Colonial Village Elementary School is located in Lewiston, and is located at 1456 Saunders Settlement Road. It serves grades K through 5. The current principal is Marissa Vuich.

### Errick Road Elementary

Errick Road Elementary School is located at 6839 Errick Road in Wheatfield and serves grades K through 5. The current principal is Nora O'Bryan.

### Tuscarora Nation School

Tuscarora Nation School is located at 2015 Mt. Hope Street in Lewiston and serves grades K through 6. The current principal is Elizabeth Corieri.

### West Street Elementary

West Street Elementary School is located at 5700 West Street in Sanborn and serves grades K through 5. The current principal is Theron Mong.

### History

West Street Elementary School was built and opened on September 9, 1998.

## School colors and mascot

Niagara-Wheatfield Senior High School's official school colors are black & white and red. The school's mascot is the Falcon, and its sports teams and other competitive teams are also referred to as the "Niagara-Wheafield Falcons."

## Academic and behavioral statistics

Overall, Niagara-Wheatfield Central School District's academic and behavioral statistics are higher than the New York State average. In 2006 the average attendance rate for all high school students was 93%. Total suspension count for the year was 94 incidents. 96% of the Class of 2006 earned New York State Regents diplomas, while only 4% earned local diplomas. 56.8% of total students earned New York State Regents diplomas with advanced designations (honors). 69.2% of students with disabilities earned New York State Regents diplomas.

## Sports and academic organizations

Athletics: NW has an array of sports programs, including baseball, football, basketball, bowling, wrestling, cheer-leading, track, cross country, tennis, volleyball, swimming, golf, soccer, hockey and softball. Niagara-Wheatfield competes in the NFL (Niagara Frontier League) with rival schools such as Lewiston-Porter, Niagara Falls, and Lockport. Niagara-Wheatfield is in New York's Section 6.
Academic Organizations: Niagara-Wheatfield also offers a wide variety of other organizations that students can join based on their interests.

## Notable alumni

* Rashad Evans

## Post-high school career paths

The majority of each year's graduating classes go on to pursue two and four-year college-level degrees. 38.5% of students in the Class of 2006 went on to start a 4-year degree program (91 students in-state and 4 out of state), 46% went on to start a 2-year degree, 4.3% went on to start other vocational training programs, and 28 students total started employment immediately post graduation.

## 2008: 50 year golden anniversary

On April 24, 2008, Niagara-Wheatfield High School celebrated its "golden anniversary" of 50 years with a "Soda Shop Sock Hop with Big Wheelie and the Hubcaps and root beer floats", inviting all NW alumni who have graduated from the school since its opening 50 years ago.

## Brief history and student demographics

Prussian immigrant foundation: The high school was built on the Haseley family farm land in 1958, which the family sold to the state. The dual Edward Town Middle School and Niagara-Wheatfield Senior High School complex is located on Saunders Settlement Road (NYS Route 31) near the hamlet of "Walmore", an original Franco-German (Prussian) Lutheran settlement formed in 1843, to which the Haseley family is related. There are still several families living in the town of Wheatfield today who are descendants of the original Franco-German (Prussian) immigrant families. The families established the hamlets of Saint Johnsburg, Bergholz, and Walmore after escaping harsh religious persecution in their former European homeland.
Tuscarora Nation history: There is also a Native American population (the Tuscarora Nation, one of the Six Nations of Haudenosaunee) with a deep history that has a historical presence in the school district. The Tuscarora reservation (founded in 1803) is located directly across the street from the middle school and high school, and is home to the Tuscarora Nation.
Italian, Irish and other heritages: The school district also is home to several students of Italian ancestry, as well as students many other diverse origins and backgrounds such as Irish-American, Asian-American and African-American.
A growing population in a difficult economy: Despite issues with job loss in the manufacturing industry due to globalization and the transition of America from a manufacturing-driven economy into a service-driven economy, the Town of Wheatfield is one of the fastest-growing towns in Niagara County. West Street Elementary School located in Sanborn, NY was built and added to the school district in 1998 to accommodate the growing population of school-aged children.