Type Public Established 1956 Teachers 208 Founded 1956 Schools 6 | Grades K-12 Superintendent Daniel Ljiljanich Athletic conference Section VI Number of students 4,200 Color Black and White and Red | |
Motto Falcons don't glide, they soar | ||
Niagara-Wheatfield Central School District is a public school district in New York State located in Sanborn, New York, about 10 miles (16 km) from Niagara Falls, New York. The District serves students from the towns of Niagara and Wheatfield.
Contents
- Map of Niagara Wheatfield Central School District NY USA
- Administration
- District administrators
- Board of education
- Selected Former Superintendents
- Schools
- Niagara Wheatfield High School
- History
- Edward Town Middle School
- Colonial Village Elementary School
- Errick Road Elementary
- Tuscarora Indian School
- West Street Elementary
- Former principals
- School Colors and Mascot
- Academic and Behavioral Statistics
- Sports and Academic Organizations
- Notable alumni
- Post High School Career Paths
- 2008 50 Year Golden Anniversary
- Brief History and Student Demographics
- References
Map of Niagara-Wheatfield Central School District, NY, USA
Administration
The District offices are located at 6700 Schultz Street, Niagara Falls, New York. The current Superintendent Dr. Lynn Fusco.
District administrators
Board of education
The Board of Education (BOE) consists of 7 members who serve rotating 3-year terms. Elections are held each May for board members and to vote on the School District Budget.
Selected Former Superintendents
Previous assignment and reason for departure denoted in parentheses
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 principal is Mr. Timothy Carter.
History
Former principals
Previous assignment and reason for departure denoted with in parentheses
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 Dr. Laura Palka.
History
Edward Town Middle School opened in 1965. It was named for Edward Town in 1966, who helped organize the Niagara Wheatfield district.
Selected former principals
Previous assignment and reason for departure denoted within parentheses
Colonial Village Elementary School
Colonial Village Elementary School is located at 1456 Saunders Settlement Road in Niagara Falls and serves grades K through 5. The current principal is Mr. Charles Smilinich.
History
Selected former principals
Previous assignment and reason for departure denoted within parentheses
Errick Road Elementary
Errick Road Elementary School is located at 6839 Errick Road in North Tonawanda and serves grades K through 5. The current principal is Mrs. Nora O'Bryan.
History
Selected former principals
Previous assignment and reason for departure denoted within parentheses
Tuscarora Indian School
Tuscarora Indian School is located at 2015 Mt. Hope Street in Lewiston and serves grades K through 6. The current principal is Ms. 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 Mr. Theron Mong.
History
West Street Elementary was opened in 1999.
Former principals
Previous assignment and reason for departure denoted within parentheses
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, Class of 1998, is a former UFC Light-Heavyweight Champion. During his time at Niagara-Wheatfield, he was known for his significant contributions to the NW Falcons' varsity football and wrestling teams, with guidance and leadership from Coach Ace Cacciatore.
Coach Armand "Ace" Cacciatore, a 2002 inductee into the Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame, and a 1999 inductee into the New York State Wrestling Coaches' Hall of Fame. Ace dedicated his career to teaching and coaching at Niagara-Wheatfield and formed the school's wrestling program in 1963, compiling a record of 330 wins and 30 losses during his wrestling coaching tenure, sending over 35 wrestlers to New York State Finals. He was named to head varsity football coach in 1970, and within three years led the Falcons into their first league championship. His football record is highlighted with 158 wins in 26 years, three Section VI Class Double A championships (two of them consecutive, in 1996 and 1997), seven divisional championships, two Connelly Cups, and five trips to Rich (Ralph Wilson) Stadium. Cacciatore became known not only as a superb coaching tactician, but a molder of men. A strong believer that character matters, he instilled a strong sense of purpose and values in every athlete who ever played or wrestled for his teams. Coach Cacciatore often took an interest in the personal lives of struggling student athletes, and assisted many in obtaining college scholarships or otherwise achieving to their best potential.
Michael Pittman, Class of 2009, is a member of the University of Rochester's male a cappella group, The YellowJackets. The group appeared on season 3 of NBC's singing competition, The Sing Off.
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
In 2008, Niagara-Wheatfield celebrated its "golden anniversary" of 50 years with a 1950s-style sock hop, 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 original 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 the 1880s, 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 Johnsberg, Bergholtz 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 the late 1990s to accommodate the growing population of school-aged children.